Better Late Than Never
by Wreckless Righter
Summary: Everyone's talking about the Mikaelsons - the mysterious new family that just moved to Mystic Falls. Everyone but Caroline Forbes. That is, until the youngest becomes her newest kindergarten student. The sweet, but shy five-year-old with a penchant for reading immediately steals her heart. His obnoxiously charming and perpetually late older brother? Not so much.
1. Chapter 1

**Better Late Than Never**

by WrecklessRighter

Insert Obligatory Disclaimer Here - I do not own TVD or its characters. (Phew!)

 _Things to know:_ _\- This is an AH/All Human drabble series turned fic._

 _\- For the sake of the prompt, Henrik is aged down, but the rest of the OGs will stay their - relatively - respective ages._

 _Happy reading!_

 **PART 1**

Tap, tap, tap went Caroline's foot. It was 3:09 p.m., rendering her beyond impatient. And with just cause. It had been a long day, filled with ABCs, 123s, spills, stains, and ultimately, really sore feet. She should have learned by now that pumps were an inappropriate choice for Kindergarten, but she'd be damned if she gave up her dignity for a bunch of five-year-olds.

The last few straggling parents convened in their usual circle by the playground their children had scampered toward the second the bell rang at 2:50 p.m. They were the elite – the in-crowd socialites of the parenting world who had nothing but time to stand around gossiping about their mommy blogging, their latest trendy diets, dating scandals in the community, or the secretive newcomers to Mystic Falls – the Mikaelsons.

The construction on their mansion had taken a few short months and had the town abuzz with speculation. Who were they? What did they do? How much money _did_ they have and why take up residency in _their_ small town? They were seen in glimpses but never all together. The youngest was a five year old and the eldest was in his thirties. There were a handful of them, at least one teen aged female, and one male who didn't resemble the others but there was no certainty as to whom was family and who was not. When there didn't appear to be a mother figure, the rumors started. They were gays who liked to adopt; they were orphans; they were gypsies; they had been abducted by aliens! The less they saw of the Mikaelsons, the more the town talked.

Caroline ignored it all. She was one of the first to meet the head of the household, eldest brother Finn. He had been looking to enroll his youngest brother and wanted to personally meet the woman he would be entrusting him to on a daily basis. She gave him her usual spiel about the curriculum and the daily class schedule, let him tour the classroom and answered all questions expertly. Her own questions burned something fierce. He offered minimal information. He and two of his brothers shared legal guardianship over the rest. There were six of them, total. Their parents were never mentioned and she desperately wanted to know the backstory but her instincts told her to keep her mouth shut, for once.

That was the only time she saw Finn. Henrik joined her class the following week.

She'd managed to connect with most of her students on some level, but little Henrik had been a mystery. He wasn't as vocal or as boisterous as the others and didn't interact with many of his classmates. At first, she assumed he just needed an adjustment period and gave him the benefit of the doubt, but as time went on, she learned his timid nature was who he was. It wasn't a lack of interest as he excelled in all academic areas. It was socialization that he shied away from. Play time was often spent in the miniature library where he would study the characters of Dr. Seuss, trace the lines that Harold's purple crayon drew, and watch the mouse cause chaos every time you gave it a cookie. In fact, story time was when she saw him the most animated. Since he couldn't read, he loved to listen. His eyes lit up and he sat just a little straighter, leaning a little forward, eager to hear the story behind his favorite images unfold. Yes, the nervous little boy who was currently standing beside her bowing his head and kicking at the pavement beneath his feet was an anomaly. As far as five-year-olds went.

"It's not like your brother to be this late," she mused aloud.

Henrik nodded, sparing only a tiny glance out of the corner of his eye before blood rushed to his face again in an embarrassed blush. Caroline sighed, looking down at her watch again – 3:14.

"Tell you what. Why don't we go wait for him inside? It has to be more fun than this, right?"

He shrugged and nodded, letting out a little huff of disappointment before he turned, ready to follow her. She smiled and held out her hand and he looked at it with wide eyes, as if she'd just insulted him gravely. It made her wonder if a lack of affection at home was a reason why he was so reserved. She let her hand lower to the back of his shoulder instead, and he half-flinched when she did, seemingly in surprise rather than pain, but he made no objection and so she led him back into the school.

She'd seated him at his table with a coloring book and basket of crayons and he seemed placated enough that she could sit at her own desk while she waited. It was unusual for his brother to run this far behind. Elijah had always been impeccably punctual, early even, greeting her with a pleasant smile that almost matched Henrik's before the boy would clasp his hand and they would retreat to their own lives, just like the rest. When they first met, she was shocked to learn he wasn't Henrik's father, but rather another one of his brothers. Despite the age difference, the resemblance was uncanny. Brown hair, brown eyes, same angular jaw structure, and matching noses. Never had she seen siblings so alike. It was…unnerving. And adorable.

She glanced at him again and he was frowning at the crayon in his hand. "What's wrong, Henrik?"

He looked over like he'd forgotten she was there. "I went outside the lines," he mumbled, his face filled with shame.

Her brows twitched and she smiled empathetically. "That's okay, sweetie. It doesn't have to be perfect."

He looked down at his picture with a tiny, scrunched up frown. "Kol's gonna laugh at me."

"Is that one of your brothers?" He nodded. She smiled slyly as she plucked one of her books from the aligned collection on the corner of her desk and got up, smoothing her skirt as she walked over to sit with him. "You know, some of the most famous artists don't stay in the lines. They don't even use the right colors. They make the sky green and the grass blue."

"They do?"

"Mmhmm." To emphasize her point, she opened up the art book she'd picked out, flipping pages. "And some of them don't even paint faces the right way." She turned the book so he could see, showing him a distorted portrait. "See?" He turned his head sideways, face screwing up in confusion. "This lady has a nose for a chin." He smiled, a tiny giggle miraculously stuttering out. He quickly covered his mouth to stifle it. Caroline beamed. "Do you know who made this?" He shook his head. "An artist named Pablo Picasso."

"Oh I know him!"

Her brows raised, pleasantly surprised. "You do?"

He nodded emphatically. "One of my brothers does paints and he told me…um…he told me about Ki-passo and No-mey."

It was Caroline's turn to giggle. "I think you mean Monet." She turned a page to where _Water Lilies_ was depicted and pointed. "Monet's paintings are really fuzzy, but, sometimes, if you squint real hard, it gets a little clearer." He did and she became endeared by him. His head quirked to the right when he looked up at her again.

"What does it say?"

"What?"

"Right there." He pointed to the caption beneath the picture.

"It says, ' _Water Lilies_ , by Claude Monet. In 1893, Monet purchased land with a pond near his property in Giverny, intending to build something "for the pleasure of the eye and also for motifs to paint." The result was his water-lily garden.'."

"And that one?" He pointed to the adjacent page where one of Edgar Degas' _Dancer_ paintings was printed.

"'Edgar Degas was a French artist famous for his paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings. He is especially identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers.'" She smiled, running her hand over the photo. "He's one of my favorites."

"Mine too," a masculine voice said from behind her.

Both Henrik and Caroline turned in unison to find a man standing in the doorway. Her heart was aflutter with surprise and mild intrigue.

"Nik!" Henrik's chair thrust from behind him, falling over, and he darted across to hug him.

Caroline closed her book and stood, adjusting her shirt, very aware that the man's fierce blue eyes hadn't left her since they'd met. She held the book to her chest and put on her best smile, despite the slight agitation that this blonde mystery man was almost thirty minutes late.

"My apologies for the delay," he spoke with a distinctly British accent. "There was a bit of a mix up. Today was supposed to be my sister's turn to pick Henrik up but she fancied herself a trip to detention instead."

"No worries. These things happen."

Henrik was all smiles, hanging onto his brother's leg. "Miss Caroline knows A'casso."

" _Pi-casso_ ," he corrected. "And I'm very pleased to hear that your teacher is well-educated in the arts."

Caroline smiled wryly. "You must be the brother who paints."

"I am," he nodded, doing a quick once over, "but you can call me Klaus."

She nodded. She knew this game well. It wasn't the first time one of her kid's parents had shown interest. Mr. Salvatore had been particularly persistent, she remembered. _Mrs._ Salvatore wasn't too pleased when she got the call from Caroline about her husband's inappropriate behavior.

"Nice to meet you, Klaus. I'll see you tomorrow, Henrik." She turned to head back to her desk, unaware of the curious frown she'd left on his face.

"I really am sorry."

"I know you are." She shot him a knowing smirk as she returned her book to its brethren. "Have a nice day, Mr. Mikaelson."

Whenever it was raining, standard protocol for Kindergarten was to have parents enter the building and pick up their child on a one by one basis. For the most part, they were accommodating and prompt. Except for one.

"Do you know who's picking you up today, Henrik?"

He gave a little nonchalant shrug of his shoulders and went back to book he was looking at, clumsily pushing his hair out of his face. Caroline sighed, glancing up at the clock again. It was 3:11 p.m. She could've guessed who his ride was today, but she dreaded having to encounter another sloppy pick-up line and the awkward tension that followed it. She'd been fortunate enough all week but on this rainy Thursday, the odds were clearly against her.

Admittedly, he _was_ an attractive man. His face had all the right angles in all the right places, and his eyes held a certain mystique. She wasn't normally one to get lost in blue eyes (she'd seen enough in the mirror) but his were that crystalline sapphire that no living being was immune to. Aesthetics were only half the battle, as their intensity and depth only created more intrigue. There was a certain anguish behind them, a bit of mystery and that was the real clincher. Mysterious guys were always insanely alluring, but she knew better than to trust them.

Lost in her daze, she failed to realize Henrik was standing in front of her desk waiting patiently for her to notice. She blinked and snapped out of it.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Henrik. Did you need something?"

He held up the book he'd been perusing, covering the better portion of his face with it. "Will you read this to me?"

She smiled a heartwarming smile and laid her pen down pushing herself back from the desk. "Of course."

She got up and immediately Henrik ran over to the carpet where the class held their "story time" circle. She couldn't help the little laugh that slipped out at his compulsory habits. Instead of dragging one of the chairs over, she joined him, sitting crisscrossed just as he was. He craned his neck to look over her arm when she opened the storybook to the first page:

"'The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind, and another, his mother called him "WILD THING!" And Max said "I'LL EAT YOU UP!" so he was sent to bed without eating anything." She turned a page and Henrik's eyes followed studiously. "That very night in Max's room a forest grew and grew and grew until his ceiling hung with vines, and the walls became the world all around, and an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max, and he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a _year_ to where the wild things are."

She glanced up to check the time doing a double take when she saw Klaus standing in the doorway. He pressed his index finger to his lips and gestured for her to go on, his eyes slyly pointing toward Henrik. She looked down and saw the little boy looking up at her, waiting patiently but his eyes were enthralled.

"You wanna turn the next page?" He smiled and nodded and she turned the book so he could lift the page, turning it with pride and basking in having the special privilege to do what no other kindergartner was permitted. His eyes scanned the contents of the new pictures and words, as if he were absorbing every detail. "When he came to the place where the wild things are, they roared their terrible roars – " her voice roared as she read, " – and gnashed their terrible teeth – " she bared her teeth " – and rolled their terrible eyes – " her own eyes bulged " – and showed their terrible claws till Max said "BE STILL!" And tamed with the magic trick of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once, and they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all, and made him _king_ of all wild things."

Henrik beamed and threw his hands up. "Let the wild rumpus start!"

Caroline laughed. "Oh so you know this story." He bowed his head bashfully, grinning up at her with a guilty look. "Well then you won't mind if we finish it tomorrow. I think someone is here for you." She nodded at the doorway. Henrik turned and looked. This time, instead of running for his brother, he turned his back on him and sulked.

"Can we finish the story first?"

Klaus smiled knowingly and meandered over, hands clasped behind his back. "Now, Henrik, I'm sure Miss Caroline has more important things she'll need to be getting to."

Henrik looked down with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. She couldn't keep her hand from going to her chest, especially when he stuck his lower lip out in a dejected little pout. Klaus sighed, seemingly familiar with this tactic, and crouched down to his brother's level. Suddenly his voice softened and lost all trace of irony.

"If you think about it, she's just said she can read more to you tomorrow. Which means the sooner we finish up today, the sooner it will be tomorrow." His brows raised in a pointed look as Henrik studied his expression.

"Okay," he reluctantly agreed. Klaus nodded and stood once again while Henrik pushed himself up with his palms and picked the open book up from her lap, looking wistfully down at the pages. "Can you teach me to read?"

"Hmm. I think maybe we should finish learning the alphabet, don't you?"

"I already learned," he objected.

Klaus crossed his arms with a challenging smile. "Let's hear it, then."

Henrik stood proudly, his voice contrastingly gentle. "A-B-C-D-E-F-G; H-I-J-K, M&Ms O P…" He mumbled the last, blushing at their direct attention on him.

Caroline laughed. "What about L and N?"

"Indeed," Klaus agreed, smiling too. "I think they'll be lonely without the rest of their mates." Henrik stared at him in confusion. "Never mind. Go on and put your book back and get your things. We've imposed on Miss Caroline enough for today."

"Oh, he hasn't imposed." She crossed her arms with a guarded smile. "Just you."

His lips pursed in a smirk. "My apologies."

"Let me guess. Another mix up?"

"Actually – "

She held a hand up. "It's okay. No need to explain or apologize. Not to me, anyway." She stalked away from him coolly to help Henrik gather his things. "I'll make you a deal," she told him, glancing sideways at Klaus. "Since your brother can't seem to pick you up on time, we can practice reading while we wait for him. Okay?"

Henrik's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Promise?"

"I promise."

"You have to say "you have my word." That's what Elijah and Nik always say."

Klaus' head dropped to his chest with a chuckle and even Caroline couldn't help her laugh. When he didn't budge, his little frown lines determined, she composed herself, pressing her lips thin with a nod.

"You have my word," she promised. The five-year-old's shoulders sagged in relief and he smiled satisfactorily. "Don't forget your coat in the closet." He nodded obligingly and ran to where his raincoat hung above his cubby.

"Thank you," Klaus' voice was at her neck, the rest of him suddenly beside her. She shivered but turned and gave him a resolute nod. "Truly. I appreciate you taking the time to facilitate his interests."

"It's my job." She folded her arms. "Besides, what else are we supposed to do while we wait for you?"

He tilted his head with a sly grin. "Well now that I know he's not the only one interested in my arrival…"

"That is _not_ what I meant." But he only continued smirking. And oh God, the dimples. _Why_ did he have to have dimples? She shook her head, her own lips betraying her in a smile. "You know I'm starting to think you do it on purpose."

"What?"

"Show up only _after_ all the other students and parents are gone."

"What purpose would that serve?"

"To get me alone. Have me _all_ to yourself."

He pursed his lips in a deliberating pout. "That _is_ an advantage, however you're forgetting one minor detail." He gestured to Henrik who was busy working diligently to get the buttons of his coat all snapped.

She laughed mockingly. "Right! Your little womanizing sidekick. Winning the hearts of girls everywhere by asking them to read to him until you can swoop in at the perfect moment. With the perfect thing to say." She narrowed her eyes, nodding with a finger directed at his chest. "I'm onto you, buddy."

He looked down at her finger then slyly back up to her face. "Now why would I reduce myself to such juvenile measures knowing a woman as clever as yourself wouldn't be susceptible to it?" He lifted a brow for added flair.

Her hands went to her hips and she continued nodding. "See? Perfect."

He laughed and she found it was a sound she was starting to favor. Lucky for her morals and dignity, Henrik rejoined them, his jacket buttons all snapped and completely off center. He had skipped one but his proud smile kept them from correcting his error.

"Got everything?" she asked and he nodded. "Good. So we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow, right?"

"Right. And don't forget, you gived me your word. It's in my pocket so I won't forget to bring it."

She giggled again, putting her hands up. "I am at your will."

He beamed up at Klaus excitedly, but Klaus had his own excited sights set on someone else. "Until tomorrow, then."

"Until tomorrow," she agreed.

He flashed her one last dimpled smile, completely smug, before taking the lead to exit. Henrik looked up with a curious frown as they walked out, his voice echoing in the hallway, "But I thought tomorrow's Elijah's turn…"

Caroline laughed to herself as she walked through the classroom, straightening up the chairs and stray supplies. So maybe he wasn't the _worst_ Mikaelson. Despite her best efforts, he had charmed her. Not only was he sweetly devoted to Henrik and extremely easy on the eyes, but he was smart, and artistically inclined, and…smooth. Yes, damn him, he was slick as oil. The really warm kind that was used for pleasure.

A movement outside the window caught her attention and it was Klaus and Henrik walking down the front path of the school towards an SUV that was waiting by the curb. That was awfully bold of him, leaving such an expensive looking car with the keys in the ignition. And then it happened. The passenger side door opened and she caught a silhouette masked by a curtain of blonde. Henrik waved and the woman stepped out, leaning over to hug him as she did. She saw Klaus' hand go to her waist and he kissed her cheek. That was enough.

Caroline turned away from the window scoffing at herself for being so naive. How could she have let herself believe he might _actually_ have been genuine? Here he was trying to sweet talk her when he had another _bimbo_ in the car waiting for him! She should have trusted her instincts, realized he was just like all the other fathers that hit on her, but he played the game well, answering a question with a question to avoid a direct rebuttal, all the while ensnaring her with his wit and his too blue eyes and his stupid, obnoxious dimples! Well no way would she let him get away with it. No one made a fool out of Caroline Forbes.


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2

 **Friday, 3:21 p.m.** **  
**

"Can you tell me what sound K makes?"

"Kuh."

"That's right. Do you know any words that start with K?"

"Cat?"

"Well 'cat' does have a 'kuh' sound but that starts with a C. Sometimes C and K make the same sound."

Henrik pursed his lips, screwing his face up adorably as he thought about it. Then his eyes widened and his whole face illuminated. "Kite!"

"Very good!" Caroline beamed, turning the page to the next letter. "What letter is this?"

He leaned forward, chewing his lower lip. "L."

"And do you know what sound it makes?"

"Luh."

"Like…"

He paused then scrunched his nose and tilted his head. "Like _is_ with an L."

"You're right." She narrowed her eyes. "Hmm. Isn't there an animal that starts with an L? One with lots of fur around its head? Kind of looks like a giant cat…"

"Ohhh. A Lion."

"Right. There's also a leopard, lizards, a lynx."

Henrik started to smile. "And Legos."

She giggled. "Okay. We have established that we know L. So let's move on to the next letter. Now, I know you know how M sounds."

"Mmmmm!"

"And now a word that starts with M?"

Henrik looked down at the page and suddenly his expression turned somber. His sucked his lower lip in and started scraping his index finger along the edge of the table top. Caroline tilted her head.

"Henrik?"

"Mom," he said quietly.

She leaned back slightly, suddenly overwhelmed with sympathy. After a pause, she asked, "Maybe…we should call it a day, huh?"

He didn't respond so she closed the book of ABCs and began to collect the flash cards they'd been using.

"My mommy went away," he said suddenly, the soft whisper reverberating through to her heart.

Caroline stopped and laid the stack of cards down neatly atop the book. Since she didn't know the circumstances, she wasn't sure what to say. As a gesture of condolence, she laid her hand on his arm. He looked at it with unease.

"I bet you miss her."

He looked up, his little brows still deeply furrowed and the look in his eyes unnervingly angry.

"Leave me alone!"

She blinked a few times, taken aback by the amount of rage in such an innocent child. He tore his arm away from her and ran into the coat room, his chair knocking over in the process.

"Henrik!"

She stood, ready to take after him when she spotted the SUV pulling up to the front of the building through the window. Her heart leapt, nerves suddenly overflowing. As she was starting to mentally prepare herself to hold her ground, she saw the passenger side door open. The blonde was with him _again_? She leaned to her side, just a little, trying to get a better view. Out of the car walked a slender brunette with the most perfect ringlets she'd ever seen. Her skin was that light brown that most women strived for during the summer, but hers was natural. Her jeans and tank hugged her body perfectly and her lips were painted bright red, as if the stilettos she wore weren't a fierce enough statement.

Caroline frowned winsomely. Another one. And she was beyond beautiful. It made her irrationally insecure.

Klaus came out of the car now, rounding the front of it toward the passenger side. He said something to the woman and she started to move forward but he held a hand up to stop her. There was a brief argument but he backed her off again with his hands and she turned away from him with one swift movement, retreating back to the car. When he turned toward the school again, Caroline jumped, hoping he didn't see. She quickly tried to make herself look busy and grabbed the reading materials from the table, hurrying to put them back in the book nook. Now her heart was pounding even harder.

Her arrived with a bit of a bustle, but she didn't bother to look when he filled the doorway with his presence. He cleared his throat, giving the door a little knock. The sound made her jump and she cursed her shoddy reflexes, turning around with a gaping expression that could _not_ be anymore unattractive if she tried.

"Oh! Klaus. Hi. I wasn't expecting you." She blinked and retracted. "I mean I _was_. Obviously. Someone has to pick Henrik up, and it's late so that would make it your day to be here and here you are. So…hi."

He smiled and she felt instantly patronized. "I'd normally enjoy our casual banter about my tardiness, however I unfortunately have to cut this visit short."

"I see." She crossed her arms. "And why is that?"

"My family and I have somewhere to be."

"Right. Got it."

He looked around, dubious. "Are you holding him captive?"

"He's in the coat closet." She pointed then turned away, hair whipping after her, and stalked to her desk.

He headed in the direction she'd instructed and for a brief, shining moment he was gone and she was free to breathe normally again and remember just how annoyed with him she was. She heard murmurs, mostly from Klaus, and then suddenly he was back, his expression tired and Henrik nowhere to be seen.

"Appears he's in one of his moods today."

Caroline ignored him, working on the attendance sheet instead and trying to wish him away. It didn't work. In fact, in only lured him closer to her desk so that when he was in her line of view, she had no choice but to look up.

"I hate to leave things on a bitter note, so perhaps you'll let me take you to dinner tomorrow night, to make up for my lack of presence in your Friday afternoon." He smirked playfully. Her stomach churned.

"Perhaps not."

"You have other plans?"

"No, I do not."

"Are you spoken for? Someone beat me to the punch?"

He was smirking. Again. She sighed, growing more agitated by the minute. "No, I am not."

"They why not have dinner with me? I know a little place just outside of town. Very intimate."

She scoffed, fighting a smile. "You're persistent. I'll give you that."

"Come on, love. Shouldn't we get to know each other better before having our first spat?"

"Oh believe me," she nodded assertively, "I know enough." He regarded her with curiosity so she crossed her arms and set her shoulders, ready to let him have it. "Look, I know how this goes. A hot, mysterious guy comes to town and uses his status to his advantage to charm his way into women's hearts just long enough to get into their pants. And maybe it's fun for a while, until they become attached and then you'll turn it around on them, make them think it's their idea when _you_ break up with them. So that while they are heartbroken, and sobbing, and a complete mess wondering what it is they did wrong, you're scot free to move on to the next one."

He narrowed his eyes, trying to wrap his mind around it. "'Am I the hot, mysterious guy in this scenario?'"

"Seriously?" She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I know this game, Klaus, and I really don't feel like playing it so you can go find someone else's nerves to get on."

"Caroline – "

"No. I have had countless men – and I _do_ mean countless – try to hit on me when they pick up their kids from school. And for the record, it is not cute or flattering. It's annoying. This is my job. I am here to nurture and enrich future generations. Not be a schoolgirl fantasy for some playboy to check off his bucket list."

Klaus' expression was a mixture of awe, anger, and horrified confusion. It was at that moment that Henrik cautiously walked up to his side, clutching his backpack straps and glancing worriedly between them. Caroline caught sight and tried to recompose herself, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. She swiveled her chair and plastered a smile to her face, keeping her attention focused on the younger of the Mikaelsons.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to finish the story today, Henrik. Next time, okay?"

He shrugged and looked up at his older brother expectantly. Klaus' tongue darted across his lip and his expression neutralized. His usually vibrant eyes became dulled by annoyance and Caroline felt a cool wave of satisfaction wash over her.

"Let's go, Henrik. No need to disturb your teacher further."

Caroline rolled her eyes at his back as he turned and led Henrik away. The little boy looked back regretfully.

"Bye," he called softly.

She smiled and waved until they were gone, then sat back in her chair to bask in a job well done.

* * *

 **Monday 2:54 p.m.**

Another day complete for Miss Caroline's Kindergarten class. As parents came to pick up their children, Caroline stood at the door awaiting the arrival of one in particular. She'd had all weekend to recuperate and return refreshed for another work week. She hoped, no, _prayed_ that anyone but Klaus would show up to pick up Henrik today. She wasn't in the mood to face him after her minor blow up, not that there was really anything left to say. Hopefully he would just stay away from then on and she would be spared the extra drama. Fate, on the other hand, had other ideas.

Someone else arrived to pick Henrik up, all right. Someone blonde and very familiar. It was the girl she'd seen him practically canoodling outside the car the a week ago. And she was heading right for them. This was so not the confrontation she needed right now, but she did what she did best. She faked her way with a bright smile and awaited the inevitable.

"Hello my love," the blonde greeted Henrik, her smile irritatingly sweet. She crouched to his level for him to hug her. "Did you have a good day? Learn all sorts of things to hold over Kol's big head?"

Henrik nodded, chewing his lower lip. She glanced up at Caroline and smiled politely, rising to her feet.

"I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I'm Rebekah, Henrik's sister."

Wait. Sister? Oh. _Oh…_ "You're Klaus' _sister_ ," she accidentally reveled out loud.

"Well yes, that too. You must be Caroline."

"That's me," she nodded. "I see Henrik's told you about me."

"Actually I recognized you from Nik's drawings."

Caroline's head jerked back. "I'm sorry, what?"

"My brother has a habit of drawing things out of his mind when he's fixated." She took up Henrik's hand. "You must have left some impression on him." Caroline blinked furiously, trying to make sense of what she'd just been told. "Listen. If anything does transpire between the two of you, just do me a favor and don't hurt him. His heart can't handle anymore suffering."

" _His_ heart?"

"He's more fragile than he comes across."

She snorted, almost offended by how much Rebekah was defending him. But she should have expected it. "I'm pretty sure the only fragile thing about him is his ego."

Rebekah evaluated her, regarding her with an intrigued smile. "Henrik, sweetie, why don't you go wait for me in the car? You can put on whatever song you like." The little boy happily obliged, racing to the car with impressive speed. Rebekah turned back to Caroline, peering closely. "Do you fancy him?"

Caroline blushed, snorting and trying to play it off with a laugh. "Who, Klaus? No. Of course not. I mean…what does that even mean, anyway? Because in English it's an adjective but in _English_ English it's a verb. A totally and not for one second even remotely true verb, as in never _ever_ happening." She huffed a breath, putting her hands on her hips definitively. "So yeah."

Rebekah pursed her lips. "You know, I may be younger than you but I know literature is a part of university education, and beyond that I know the statistics regarding women your age who read romance novels." She rolled her eyes. "Look, before nose diving into anything with him, there's something you should know about my brother. But if you use this information against him – or me – in any way, I will make your life a living hell."

Caroline's brows knit at the profuse amount of possessive fire in her eyes. She nodded, timid but resolute. "I won't."

Rebekah nodded, licking her lips as she searched for the proper way to begin. "Two years ago, Nik lost the woman he loved to a car wreck."

Oh no. Cue the shame.

"She was drunk driving after an argument they'd had and he never stopped blaming himself. After her death, he closed himself off. It took ages to get him to talk to us again. The only one he communicated with was Henrik and that was out of necessity."

Caroline was shaking her head, trying to register the tragedy and how she could have so badly misjudged.

"I know he acts above it all, but my brother has since been immensely careful with his heart. Most women don't have the patience for him."

"Why tell me all of this?"

She sighed, hugging herself a little. "I guess I'm just hopeful that he might be coming back around to his old self."

His old self. What was that like, she wondered? There were so many thoughts whirring through her head that she couldn't make out what was what. What she did know was that she was a grade A jerk and she owed him an apology of epic proportions. If she ever saw him again.

"Henrik's waiting." Rebekah started to turn then stopped and looked back, her eyes smiling. "You should know, the last time Nik even opened a sketchbook was before Tatia died."

* * *

 **Thursday 3:10 p.m.**

It had been three days since her encounter with Rebekah and Caroline was growing anxious with the new information she'd been gifted. Every day she waited, now hoping that Klaus would show his face again so that she could make amends. And every day Elijah showed up in his stead, on time, greeting her with his placid smile and few words before making off with one of her favorite students.

Henrik had just started to open up since their afternoon sessions started. He began to answer questions and volunteer at every "story time" to pick the book she should read from the shelves. But after the last afternoon they spent together, he regressed and went back into his shell. She wasn't sure if it was the distance or the little incident with the letter M. Regardless, she desperately began to miss their private reading sessions and the little giggles she'd been able to draw out of him.

As luck would have it, Thursday brought them together again. On the outside, she was happy to help Henrik and spend the extra time with him. On the inside, her heart was doing somersaults at the prospect of facing Klaus.

"Guh…oh. Guh-oh. Go."

"Mmhm." Caroline nodded and pointed to the next word.

"Uh-puh. Uh-p. Up! Go – up!"

"That's really good," she praised with a smile.

"I did it? I read a sentence?"

She laughed, nodding. "You did. You read that one right there."

He looked down at the two words. "Go up." He frowned. "Go up where?"

"I guess we have to go to the next page to find out." She started to turn it and he smacked his hand down on the page, their arms crossing. It was the first time he'd willingly touched with her so she remained still, waiting for his objection.

"What if I can't read the next one?"

"Then we'll figure it out so you _can._ That's what I'm here for, right? To teach."

He looked down at the page again and then back up to her. Then, out of nowhere, he leapt into her arms and hugged her, his arms as far around her as he could reach. Her brows skyrocketed and she had to hold onto the desk to keep her chair from tipping. She laughed and hugged him back.

"Thank you," he mumbled against her shirt.

"Aw, you're welcome." She stroked his hair. "You're a really good hugger, you know that?"

He lifted his head to smile at her, a rare and never before seen smile that surprised her with dimples that matched his brother's. And speak of the devil, Klaus was just starting to walk in when he caught sight of their embrace. He straightened and his face went stolid.

"Didn't realize I was interrupting."

Caroline tipped her chin and glanced down at her student. "Go ahead and get your stuff, sweetie."

Henrik climbed down and spared a nervous look at his brother before scrambling into the closet to get his things. Caroline stood, holding onto her wrist and carefully inching his way.

"Hello."

He nodded once in greeting, eyeing her with suspicion. "Hello."

"Not as late today. Only 15 minutes this time."

"I'll try to be more punctual."

"I wasn't complaining. I-It was a joke." She tried a smile but it was returned with deadpan. She exhaled sharply. "Okay, look. I'm…I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to come off like some psycho, making rash judgements."

"No need to apologize, love. You've already decided about me." He started to walk toward the closet.

"No, but that's the thing! I jumped to conclusions and they were the wrong ones." He stopped and gave her a skeptical look, his restlessness apparent. "I shouldn't have said the things I said. You're not a playboy."

"And since when are you so sure of what I am?" The guilt in her eyes was unmasked. He stepped forward, invading her personal space, his glare overpowering. "What did Henrik tell you?"

"Nothing! He didn't say a thing."

"So you happened upon that conclusion yourself?"

She inhaled slow and shaky, bracing her shoulders. "No, I didn't, but – "

"Whatever it is you've been told, whatever you think you know about me you _don't_. And believe me, sweetheart, the last thing you want to do is make assumptions."

"I'm not," she argued, growing agitated with his behavior. "All I'm trying to do is apologize. Maybe if you weren't so busy jumping down my throat you'd have heard it."

"I neither need nor want your apology. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take my brother home."

"I get it. You don't try to connect with people and that's why you're alone. Not that anyone would even be _able_ to tolerate you."

He froze and as soon as she said it she knew it was a mistake. He turned back with an icy glare. "Let me clear something up for you, love. How I live my life is my choice. I didn't choose to make judgements about you when you spewed your little story about who you thought I was. I didn't highlight your desperation or your naïveté when it comes to men because you so clearly demonstrated them in your spiel last week. I could have pointed out every last thing that made you undesirable but, unlike you, I have common decency and a certain amount of respect. Or, at least, I did."

Her jaw dropped and she blinked continuously. The rapid pitter patter of her heart was nothing compared to the angry breaths that huffed out. He was making his escape, about to head into the closet, but she couldn't let him get away that easy.

"You think you're so high and mighty because you've been through something?!" she snapped. "Newsflash, everyone has something tragic they've gone through! You're not special!"

Klaus' inhale was shaky and sharp, his eyes piercing when he looked back. It felt like eons under the heavy weight of that gaze. And then, without breaking eye contact, he called out, "Let's go, Henrik."

The little boy came running up, slowing his pace as he neared them. Caroline closed her eyes, regret filtering its way in between the adrenaline.

"Klaus. Wait. I didn't mean – "

"You're right. I'm not special. Tragedy doesn't define you." He leaned close, his voice dropping bitingly low. "It just makes you _intolerable_."


	3. Chapter 3

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* * *

 **NikMik** \- You'll learn in one of the upcoming chapters about what happened, but not the extent of it. I plan to reveal that in spurts. As for Caroline's tragedies, that/those will also come to light in time.

 **IWantColoredRain** \- How did you know that "Will" is my current favorite TV show? ;)

 _So glad that everyone is enjoying this! I'm aware it seems abrupt at times, but I'll remind you this originally started as a series of drabbles and was never intended to go to fic-length. The pacing will even itself out with the next few chapters, I promise. In the meantime, thank you all for being your sweet and supportive selves. Keep hitting those follows/favorites and leaving reviews if you feel compelled. It really helps._

* * *

PART 3

 **Parent/Teacher Conferences - 6:56 p.m.**

Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore, check.  
Mr. Donovan, check.  
Ms. Bennett and Mr. Parker, check check.  
Mr. Lockwood, put off for as long as possible.  
Mr. Mikaelson…

Three days into Parent/Teacher conferences and Caroline found herself facing a major migraine. For the most part, the parents had been bearable. There were the silent ones who were there out of obligation, and the ones who were indifferent. There were the elitist socialites that wondered why their child hadn't progressed as far as their blog trends had suggested despite her repetitive response that they were _five-year-olds._ Mr. Parker just seemed keen on annoying his wife by asking Caroline meaningless questions about classroom conduct. But it was Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore that had given her the migraine. Apparently the former hadn't given up his conquest. Yuck.

There was one meeting left for the day and she was pretty optimistic that it would be a short one. Henrik was a bright child and that's all there was to it. Finn wasn't much of a talker anyway, from what little she knew of him. Some days, you really did get the luxury of saving the best for last.

In truth, she would have preferred talking to someone who might actually engage in conversation about Henrik. For the past two weeks, Elijah and Rebekah took turns picking him up, which meant on time and very little conversation. If at all. Elijah never said more than two words to her and Rebekah offered little more than a smile since their last conversation. She wondered if Klaus had said something that caused the girl to become closed off. Did he scold her for telling Caroline the truth, instilling a fear of talking to her, like, ever? Then again, what did a 25 year old teacher and a 17 year old high school student really have in common anyway?

Did she miss seeing Klaus? Not really. Not after the way he treated her the last time they spoke. What she really missed was spending the extra time with Henrik. She lamented never getting to keep her promise and finish _Where the Wild Things Are_ with the little boy. He was never as out of his shell in class as he was when they spent the afternoons reading together and her heart yearned to hear just one little giggle out of him. She wondered if he would have coaxed his brothers into continuing the lessons she'd started with him, but secretly hoped they didn't. It made her feel special that a student actually wanted to learn, even more that he wanted to learn from _her_.

She glanced at the clock distractedly, wondering what was keeping Finn. Their appointment was scheduled for 6:45 and it was on the cusp of the seventh hour. As her foot tapped impatiently, all she could think about were the two cups of coffee she'd inhaled between meetings. If she stepped away, just for a minute, would Finn be offended by her absence? Or what if he just up and left, assuming she was gone, and she'd have to schedule it all over again? It was hard enough the first time getting him on the phone.

At 6:59 she decided to let her bladder win the battle of chance and excused herself across the hall to the restroom. If Finn was late, it was his fault he'd miss her. Or, at least, have to wait.

Minutes later, Caroline returned, revitalized and relieved. She walked briskly back into her classroom, ready to take on the stolid Mikaelson patriarch.

And there he was.

Why, after everything, would he even _choose_ to come back? And yet there Klaus stood, hands clasped behind his back, pondering the artwork on Miss Caroline's Kindergarten Dream Clouds. For a second, she stood frozen to her spot, debating whether he'd seen her and if she had time to bolt. Instead, she talked herself off the ledge and treaded with extra caution.

"Hi," she greeted timidly.

He turned, stunned to see her there. "Hello."

It was more instinctual than anything, but it wasn't cold. He redirected his attention back to the wall and she laced her fingers in front of her, taking baby steps in his direction.

The dream wall was an idea she'd fashioned one evening while daydreaming herself. Each student's picture was posted on the wall, taken on the first day of class, and above them sat their personalized thought bubbles. They spent a week's worth of activity time working on them.

"I see you've found our Dream Clouds." She gestured when she approached. He blinked slowly, smirking as his eyes slid towards her making her feel like even more an idiot for trying. "Henrik's is just up there." She pointed.

"I noticed. His artwork is very distinct in our family."

"Oh?"

"He creates without a need for validation. Pure and candid imagination, as it should be."

"I'm guessing he has a good tutor." He smiled to himself. Yep, there were the dimples. Score one for Caroline. She looked over the cumuli thoughtfully. "They're supposed to represent each one's hopes and dreams. Things they want. What they want to be when they grow up."

"I didn't notice one of yours up there."

"I'm the teacher. And I'm already grown up."

"That doesn't mean you don't have any hopes or dreams of your own."

His look was so sincere that she nearly had to catch her breath. In an effort to detach, she turned away and meandered towards the student tables. She stopped only when she reached the one Henrik usually inhabited, and dared to look his way again.

"So. What would you like to know about your brother's progress?"

"Is that what these things are supposed to be about?"

"Well, yeah. It's to update you on his academic standing," she explained, furthering herself away next to the giant globe that stood by their map of America. "How he's adapted to the new school and his classmates."

"Has he?"

She had the full weight of his gaze now, a head on collision with that perfect visage. In so many ways she wanted to hate him but when he looked at her like that, hopeful and vulnerable to the fear of judgement, she felt something very different.

"He's getting there." She pressed her index finger into Asia and swiveled the sphere to the left in a slow turn. "He seems pretty comfortable with school and with his work. I'm just worried he isn't connecting with anyone."

"He connects with _you_." She turned her head and he lifted his chin as they locked eyes. He began to move in her direction, slow and tentative in his steps, looking back at the décor as he neared. "I think he likes you."

Her eyes narrowed and the corners of her lips upturned. "Yeah?"

"You challenge him," he continued. "Open him up to things he didn't think himself capable of."

She put her hands on her hips, tilting her head coolly with a little sigh. "Just doing my job." His eyes flicked back to hers and she let out a nervous laugh, letting her arms drop in a shrug. "So are you going to tell me why you're here and Finn's not?"

"He's attending to a more important matter." He glanced at her apologetically. "Not exactly a fair exchange for you."

"Actually, I'm glad it's you." Her eyes widened at her own audacity and she fumbled for a cover. "At least you'll be better conversation."

His brows twitched in surprise and just when his lips began to curve, she dodged the swarm of butterflies with a quick deviation to her desk. She grabbed the folder of Henrik's work and brought it to one of the tables, gesturing for Klaus to join her as she began to thumb through it.

"These are some of the things we've been working on," she told him as he sat beside her. "We've been practicing writing numbers and letters, learning how to write our names," she continued, showing him each completed worksheet, respectively. "Henrik's penmanship is very advanced."

Klaus swallowed, taking each paper carefully and glossing them over with pride. "Fine lines. No breaks. He has utter confidence when he wants to."

"I think it's a matter of what interests him." She laid her arms on the table, overlapping them. "When he's reading with me, he's the most vibrant kid I've ever seen. He's eager and excited and…so in the moment. Totally opposite of how he is in class, you know?"

He hummed. "You must care for him a great deal."

"I do." She nodded, then, remembering where she was, she sat back pushing against the edge of the table. "I care for _all_ of my students."

"Do you?"

" _Yes._ Besides, I'm not allowed to play favorites."

"Allowances don't always keep you from doing the things you're not supposed to, do they?"

"No." Her eyes swept over him in a skeptical once over. "They certainly don't."

A short silence befell them. The butterflies she'd been trying to evade found their way into her belly and she let them roam free, trying to remember the last time someone made her so nervous. She wasn't scared, no not Caroline Forbes. If she wanted him, she could definitely have him. But…did he want her? It seemed likely at the start, but now? Now they were in the middle of a long pause and frankly, it was enough.

"Well, if you don't have any questions I guess we can conclude – "

"He misses reading with you," he confessed.

She paused and let out a short laugh. "Well that's your fault for giving up your pick-up duties."

His brows raised in surprise and then he dropped his head with a little chuckle. "It isn't the first time my actions have had consequences for others."

"I believe that."

His smile was mild and faded quick with a swallow of nerves. "About that day…"

"You really don't have to."

"Please let me." He turned to face her fully now and she suddenly became aware of her heartbeat. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"It's totally fine. It's not like I was exactly kind either."

"I want you to know it had nothing to do with you, Caroline. There are things…" He licked his lips and started again. "You were not the cause of my anger, though you were subjected to the brunt of it. And I'm sorry that you were."

She nodded, pressing her lips together in a smile of gratitude. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Hopefully going forward we can overlook this little misunderstanding."

"I'll only overlook it if you promise to start picking Henrik up again. I _cannot_ take the silent nods from Elijah anymore. I mean, seriously, does he not know how to hold a conversation?"

He beamed laughingly, dimples and all. "You have my word."

"Good." She stood. "Then I'll see you tomorrow?"

He stood and nodded and they went their separate ways. Klaus stopped in the doorway and looked back with a frown.

"Two fifty, was it?"

Caroline laughed. "Yeah, right."

* * *

Tomorrow quickly turned into the next day, and then the next week. Soon enough they were seeing each other on a daily basis and Henrik was fast tracked from learning two letter words to three.

They had found their level ground and bickering became banter, and banter became flirtation. He never tried to ask her out again, and she didn't make any implications. She worried what would happen if they took their little trysts outside of their after school rendezvous comfort zone. Not that it didn't make her any less hopeful. She was letting the ball stay in his court. After what Rebekah had told her, she didn't want to push too hard or influence him in any way. If he was interested, he'd make the move. And she would let him.

Today Klaus was particularly earlier than usual. At first she thought they might have to run off for their mysterious "important business" again, but it turned out he was just making strides to spend time with her. Not that he'd admitted to anything. She just had a way of knowing these things.

She'd been careless with activity time this afternoon, starting later than she meant to after a minor meltdown with Bryce Donovan. By the time the bell rang, crayons and construction paper were flying. She didn't have time to worry about it until after all of the kids were picked up. When she and Henrik returned to the classroom, she set him up with the reading worksheets she'd gotten offline and got to work cleaning up. Klaus arrived shortly after to laugh at the disarray.

"We were doing arts and crafts," she explained, holding up the Elmer's glue bottle. "Silly me, I gave them glitter."

"Do you need some help?"

She smiled. "Actually, that'd be great."

He sauntered over until they were inches apart, smiling smugly as he wrapped his hand around the bottle of glue, and her hand. "Allow me."

Caroline's eyes darted back and forth between his eyes and his lips, but he took the bottle and retreated to the shelf of supply baskets. She inhaled slowly, letting it out in sharp disappointment. They'd been playing this little game for over a week. The touch barrier had broken and their proximity seemed to decrease with each visit, but he still managed to keep his distance.

"Puh-at. Pat."

Caroline snapped out of her head and smiled at her student. "That's good Henrik."

"C-Cat."

Klaus looked too from across the table she'd started to clean. "He's coming along quickly."

"Yeah. He's a smart kid."

"With a dedicated teacher."

"And brother," she pointed out. "If it wasn't for you always running late we wouldn't even be here right now."

"Mmmm-at."

"I can come earlier, if you like." He reached over her arm for a stray marker, gently brushing the inside of her elbow. "I could help you give him reading lessons."

She glanced down at their somewhat compromising position, then back at him. Her cheeks betrayed her in a light flush but her expression was sly. "Sounds to me like someone is jealous of Henrik and I spending time together."

"Ssssssat."

He hesitated, lips parting as his eyes dropped briefly to her mouth. She barely glimpsed it before his eyes were on hers again, long lashes taunting.

"What if I am?"

She blinked too many times then shook her head with a scoffing laugh. "You're the one that gets to take him home every day." She gathered the last few crayons and went to bring them to the baskets, leaving him perplexed.

"Ih-nuh. In."

While she began to organize the crayons, she barely noticed Klaus coming up behind her. His arm reached around and she could feel his body close to hers. Her stomach flipped with nerves and then excitement. His hand opened up and in his palm lay two red sticks of colored wax.

"You missed these."

She shivered from his breath against her neck and reached for the crayons. His fingers closed around hers and she began to turn over her shoulder.

"Pat…huh-ah-ss…has a cat."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Oh my god." She dropped his hand and turned the opposite way. "Henrik. Did you just read that?"

He looked up his face glowing with fierce redness as he nodded feebly. She walked over and crouched down beside him.

"Can you read it again, to me?"

He looked down at the page, using his finger as a guide. "Pat…has…a cat. A fat cat."

She laughed in amazement and pulled him in a hug without thinking. "I'm so proud of you!"

He grimaced at her hold but blinked when he saw Klaus past the crook of her arm, and smiled. "I did it, Nik!"

Klaus smiled gently. "I heard."

He shimmied himself away from her and was up on his knees eagerly. "Does this mean we can finish the story now?"

Caroline laughed. "Yes. Go get it from the shelf."

He jumped off his chair and dashed toward the bookshelves, crawling along the carpet to look for it. Without thinking, Caroline got up and went to Klaus, grabbing his arms excitedly.

"Did you hear that?!" She nearly bounced on her toes in elation. "He's _five_! And he's reading sentences!"

His eyes widened slightly and he had to focus on keeping his balance, lips parting as he stuttered a breath. He swallowed and nodded once, smiling back at her. "I've always known he'd be the smartest of us."

"Especially if he has _you_ to compete against," she teased, playfully poking his chest.

He looked down at her finger and slowly raised his eyes to hers. She felt her stomach doing somersaults again.

"Let the wild rumpus start?"

It completely broke their trance and they simultaneously looked down to see Henrik holding his favorite book up. They erupted into laughter, ignoring Henrik's displeased frown.

"What? What's so funny?"

Caroline just shook her head as Klaus answered him a soft "nothing" which did not sate the boy's curiosity, but, luckily, she knew what would.

"Come on, Henrik." She guided him back to his table. "Maybe this time you can read it to _me_."

"No, I don't think I know the words good enough yet."

As they settled into the tiny chairs to start the story, Klaus watched the pair with apprehension. Something in his chest was rising up and he felt the ripples of tension rolling through him. He took a step forward then stopped himself, trying to mask what he was feeling with as much calm as he could muster. He didn't want to scare her.

"Actually, I should get Henrik home. Nearly dinner time as it is."

They both turned with matching frowns, but it was Henrik who cried out, "No!"

"We've stayed long enough for today, Henrik."

"But I wanna finish the story!"

"And you will. Tomorrow."

Henrik turned around in his seat and crossed his arms with a huff, determined to ignore him. "No."

Seeing the flames growing in Klaus' eyes, Caroline turned to Henrik, stroking his hair back a little. "Hey. I know I promised to read this to you, but it _is_ kind of late. Isn't your tummy rumbling?" He frowned harder, turning his head away. "If you want, you can take the book home and practice and then we can read it together tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"We have the book at home already."

"Even better. Then you can read it tonight, and I'll read it tomorrow. Okay?" He pouted but nodded slowly in defeat. "Good. Go pack up. Go on."

He climbed down from his seat, shoulders slumped as he trudged to the coat closet. Caroline looked back at Klaus and his shoulders eased with relief. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear, and her disappointment behind a smile.

"Thanks for staying to help out."

"It was my pleasure."

He went over and held a hand out to her aid. She graciously accepted and he pulled her to her feet. She stumbled a step and the distance between them was now inches. As she slowly raised her gaze she saw his Adam's apple jump, felt his pulse quicken against her palm.

"Caroline, I…"

"Yes?"

Her eyes darted back and forth between his gaze and his lips, anticipating the inevitable. His eyes dropped too and she felt the draw between them pulling them to closer proximity. Her body was thrumming and warm, breath bated as she caught hints of his musky cologne with every inch she neared. She watched his lips part and his tongue glide between giving them an inviting shine. Finally she lifted her gaze back to his, lusty and hopeful and wanton with need. His breath shook and just as she started to lean in he turned.

"I'll see you tomorrow," his voice drifted as he walked away and took Henrik along with him. He stopped at the door and glanced back one last time. And then he was gone.

Caroline stood rooted to her spot, stomach clenching with nausea as her tingles turned to ice and paralyzed her with dejection. What the hell?

* * *

The next afternoon she couldn't wait to see him, to ask what had happened and why he ran. She was so sure he had felt the electricity, that he wanted – no – _needed_ to kiss her as much as she did.

As she waited on the platform for her students to be picked up, she noticed she was being watched. A young, dark-haired man was standing beyond the crowd, towering over the other parents. He stood, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes narrowed with a skeptical peer. He tilted his head to look past her and must have found what he was looking for because he began to weave through the crowd towards her. She had a weird, off feeling about him. He was handsome, familiarly so, but something about him said danger. As he drew nearer, his dark eyes became brown and his sneer became soft.

"I figure I may as well introduce myself," he spoke and it took her a second to realize he was addressing her. "My name is Kol."

She looked down at the hand thrusted at her and when she looked up again his brows were drawn together and his smile dripped with amusement.

"Mikaelson," he added with a tiny nod.

"Oh!" She blushed and nodded, smiling her teacher smile and taking his hand lightly to shake it. "You're Henrik's brother."

"One of many," he confirmed, holding her hand a little longer than preferable. "Making you the lovely Caroline I keep hearing about." Her blush deepened and she looked down to hide her delight in hearing Klaus may have been just as smitten. "Henrik sings your praises almost every night at dinner."

Her heart gave a little drop and she blinked away her disorientation, taking her hand back. "That's sweet." She tucked a curl behind her ear. "I thought today was…I wasn't expecting you to be picking him up today."

His smile broadened and it made her stomach turn from embarrassment. Was she so transparent?

"I'm only sorry I hadn't done so sooner. But now that I have the proper incentive…" His eyes traveled the length of her, making her want to crawl out of her own skin. "You might just be seeing more of me."

Her eyes narrowed in disgust but she smiled to be polite. It wasn't so much his forwardness that bothered her. That she was used to. It was just that he seemed so…young.

"So where is the little hellion, then?"

"Inside."

"You left him alone?"

"Of course not. One of the other teachers is keeping an eye on him." She nodded as her last student was retrieved then turned to gesture him to follow her. "Like I said, we weren't expecting you."

She led him into the school and down the hall to her classroom, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling her skin all the while. After dismissing her colleague, she walked over to Henrik and crouched down.

"Hey. Looks like we aren't going to get to read today. I'm sorry."

Henrik's face screwed up in confusion and he looked to see Kol walking toward him. "Where's Nik?"

"Settling a debt." He crouched down, smiling. "What do you say to some ice cream, bud?"

"Bekah says you don't have any money."

"You think I need money to get ice cream?" He shook his head with a laugh. "I have so much to teach you. Go on, get your things. Ice cream's waiting."

Caroline rolled her eyes as Henrik obliged and she began to collect the books from his desk, all too aware of Kol blatantly checking out her ass. She straightened quickly, setting her shoulders as she held the stack against her chest.

"It was nice to meet you, Kol."

As she turned to make her getaway, a hand grabbed the crook of her elbow, holding her back. "Don't be like that, darling."

She glanced down at his hand on her arm and then back at his face. "Like what, a teacher?" She pulled her arm away, turning so there was enough space between them that he couldn't reach. "Because that's what I am. Henrik's teacher. And I would prefer if we kept our acquaintance professional."

He smiled like she was making a joke. "My apologies. I wasn't trying to offend you. It's just that I like pretty, older women. Though it tends to get me into a bit of trouble."

"I can see why."

"You are more than I bargained for," he noted, wagging his finger at her. "What would you say to joining me for dinner tomorrow evening?"

"I don't think that's appropriate."

"Nonsense. It would be at our home and you can't say no to that since there'll be others around. I'm sure Henrik would love it, wouldn't you, buddy?"

Henrik glanced to his side, thinking about it before he smiled. "Yeah."

"There, see that? Now you have to come or you'll break little Henrik's heart." She couldn't help but laugh. Charm must have been a family trait. "I promise no funny business."

"For your sake, I hope not. My mother happens to be a former sheriff."

"You've got me all wrong, darling. I wouldn't proposition you unless I were of age. I'm just shy of nineteen, give or take a few months."

"And, what, that's supposed to make me cave to your boyish charms? Emphasis on _boy_."

He grinned and she couldn't help thinking how adorably like Henrik he looked when he smiled. "Come to dinner and I'll show you the man I really am."

It was the cheesiest line ever. But it was _also_ an opening to seeing Klaus again...


	4. Chapter 4

**.**

* * *

Again, I want to thank everyone for their continual love. It honestly makes my day every time I see  
your beautiful reviews and more people reading, and hitting those follow/favorite buttons. Love you all!

Just a heads up - this is the last fully written chapter I had saved, so please bear with me if the next updates take a little time as I'm working full time _and_ going to school full time now, making writing time extremely limited. As I say with every other story I post, I will never just abandon a story without saying so. I may take forever and a day to update it at times, but you'll never see me just leave a story hanging without a say so.

That said, enjoy the next part. It's my favorite. :)

* * *

 **PART 4**

Seeing students outside of school really wasn't something Caroline went out of her way to do. It was actually something she avoided to the best of her abilities. It wasn't the five-year-olds that made it uncomfortable. It was the parents that were the problem. Too many times she'd gotten caught in conversations she wanted to run from involving unsolicited suggestions about her teaching methods, classroom content, or the nutritional value of the snacks the school provided for snack time; or worse, gossip about other parents. She'd endured awkward conversations about so-and-so's mother who let them eat _Tasty Cakes_ and _Pop Tarts_ ; about the single fathers and which ones did she think were cute and/or available?; and, most recently, about the mysterious Mikaelsons.

What was her opinion, they asked? What did she make of the unorthodox family, and what did she know more than they did? She tried to keep it as minimal as she could. Finn seemed nice enough, and Elijah was well-mannered. Rebekah was like any passionate teenage girl. Kol was…to be determined. And Henrik was a dream to have in her class. She never mentioned Klaus as people gossiped about him the most. He was the only male in the family that was light haired and blue eyed. There was no similarity to his brothers and that was odd to the town busybodies. She once argued that he and Rebekah looked alike but that led to even more questions than resolution.

No, she never brought Klaus up in conversation. Maybe it was a protection thing. But was it to protect him or protect herself? What would they say if the sweet, wholesome, and well-known Kindergarten teacher started dating a Mikaelson? Somebody was bound to see her up by the mansion. There were always onlookers trying to spy from afar. So why did she say yes?

Truth be told, she was still trying to reason it out herself. It would be an interesting hands-on experience with the family. Maybe she'd even get to find out what happened with their parents. Curiosity was totally a weakness of hers. But…it still wasn't really why she agreed to the date.

She'd get to see her favorite little kindergartner prodigy. True, Kol had manipulated her by including Henrik in his plan. She couldn't say no to those big brown eyes and hopeful smile. But even she could admit that Henrik wasn't motive enough.

And then there was Kol, himself. There was no attraction on her part, and she wasn't truly obligated to go just because he'd convinced her to say 'yes'. She'd be humoring him, more than anything. And, okay, even if it wasn't legitimate, maybe seeing her with his brother might light a fire under Klaus' ass.

And there it was. The ulterior motive she didn't want to admit to. She wanted an excuse to see Klaus again.

Something had happened that day in her classroom. Something she wanted answers about and he seemed to be intent on not giving them to her. There had always been a tension between them, but sparks? Those were new. And if he was going to ignite them, why didn't he see the fire through instead of throwing a bucket of cold water all over their progress?

She was trying to be patient but he was taking too long. Their classroom flirtation was reaching its peak and it was time to do something about it, but who was she to push him? She could have made a move herself, and she usually did when she was getting anxious, but she'd been focusing on being careful with Klaus, as to not to step on toes or make things weird. She didn't want to be the girl that she once accused him of philandering.

So accepting Kol's invite to his home was the best strategy she had. It might backfire, like ambushes do, but that was just a risk she was going to have to take.

* * *

 **The Mikaelson Mansion. Dinner time. 6:30 p.m.**

Friday night dinners were of great significance in the Mikaelson clan. It was the one night out of the week they would put aside their lives and enjoy the company of family. It took a lot of convincing, particularly where Rebekah and Kol were concerned. As far as they considered, Friday nights were for gallivanting and getting into youthful trouble. To Finn, it was the one night a week that everyone was available and he refused to let them be excluded. If one night was all the six of them could muster for each other, then he would ensure that they made it a mandatory custom.

At present, the family was gathering as the meal was being set out by Rebekah and Finn. Henrik sat in the far corner of the eight-person dining table, his legs swinging as he watched his siblings filter in. Elijah and Katherine – his high school sweetheart who had been family basically since they met – sat across from Henrik, the seat beside her left empty for Rebekah to occupy. Kol was to Henrik's left, fingers rapidly tapping the screen of his iPhone in all directions as he texted message after message. Henrik sat up straighter when Klaus walked in, taking up the head of the table beside his youngest brother, and flashing him a smile. The little boy grinned back, happy to be acknowledged.

"Will she be joining us for every family dinner?" Klaus griped, helping himself to the wine that was on the table.

Katherine rolled her eyes, squeezing Elijah's hand as he weaved his fingers through hers. "Are you ever going to let go of that grudge? It's been years."

"And yet I never received an apology."

She smiled spitefully. "You're right. I'm sorry you're not over the fact that I ditched you on our art project in _high school_. I guess hanging out with your brother was just more interesting."

"You're fueling the fire, Katerina," Elijah warned.

Klaus pointed his glass at his brother. "You're partially to blame."

"Can we have _one_ civilized dinner in this household?" Finn pleaded, entering the room with a platter of carved roast to place on the table. "Dinner is the only time we are all in one room together."

"And you see how well that works out," Kol teased, nudging Henrik's arm playfully. Henrik grinned mischievously up at his elder while Finn took up his seat at the opposite end from Klaus.

"I, for one, agree with Finn." Rebekah entered the room with a wooden bowl filled with her garden salad contribution. "I feel like I never see most of you during the week."

"That's because you're always in detention," Kol teased.

"I am not!"

"You are!" He laughed. "Getting into trouble with that Lorenzo bloke. Honestly, what do you see in him?"

She slammed the bowl down with a little flounce. "He's nicer than _you_!"

"Oh he's nice! Wow, I'm so glad I know the secret to impressing our sister is being _nice_. What effort."

"He happens to know how to treat a woman."

"So what's he doing with you?"

She started to reach for the carving knife when Finn grabbed her hand to stop her. "Rebekah, sit," Finn demanded. "The two of you will behave. I will not tolerate your bickering tonight."

"Suddenly he's our father," Klaus muttered before sipping his wine, only not as quietly as he'd hoped. The entire table went deadly silent and his face went pale. Finn was glaring across the table but no one said a thing. The doorbell finally broke the tense silence.

"I'll get it!" Henrik called out, hopping down from his chair before anyone could object.

Elijah peered after him, perplexed. "Who would solicit during supper?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention I invited a date?" Kol was already up and pushing in his chair.

Rebekah gave him a dull look. "To our family dinner?"

"I thought I'd just skip all the intimacies and get right to the point. Isn't that _nice_ of me, Bekah?"

He waggled his brows and disappeared from the room. Voices echoed from the foyer, one of them feminine, and everyone took turns glancing at one another in confusion. Klaus swished his wine a little, impatient and wanting to get back to his brooding and his sketch pad up in his room. Unlike the others, he didn't find it the least bit surprising that Kol would find a way to sabotage his way out of Finn's family dinner obligation. Especially using a girl as a means of distraction.

Klaus was used to his brother's disposal of women. He never gave himself a chance to be alone, though he seemed to enjoy his own company more than any normal male should. That was one of the bigger differences between them. Kol was the life of the party, a deviant who liked to make a spectacle of himself – or sometimes others – just to liven things up. He got into too many fights at school because of his pride, but he was smarter than anyone gave him credit for. He could talk his way out of anything, provided the listener didn't tire of hearing his voice and just dismiss him in exchange for peaceful silence. Yes, Kol was a handful and he knew it. In fact, he depended on it.

"Hello darling," Kol's voice echoed softly from the foyer.

"Sorry I'm late," the girl spoke, higher in pitch and vaguely familiar.

"You're right on time, actually," Kol's voice carried, growing in volume as he neared. "We're just sitting down," he said, appearing in the doorway no sooner with his arm out stretched for his date to enter before him.

Henrik bolted in, racing to his seat, disorienting everyone so that when Caroline walked through, all smiles, the shock was minor.

Almost.

Klaus immediately stilled in his seat, eyes locking with hers the second they found him. There was a slight hesitation in her gaze before she dodged his questioning look, instead glancing to Elijah. Little frown lines developed above the ridge of her nose as she took in the sight of Katherine clinging to his older brother and Elijah not bothered by it at all.

"Hello everyone," she greeted with a wave. "I'm Caroline, Henrik's teacher."

There was an awkward pause, and then, "Bloody hell, Kol! His teacher?!" It was Rebekah's voice of revulsion. "Could you be any more repugnant?"

"Sure. I could be you." Ignoring her icy glare, he gestured for Caroline to sit in his empty seat as he took the spot next to the end of the table where Finn resided.

She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. "I can leave if this is too awkward."

"Nonsense!" Kol answered for everyone. "Just ignore my sister. It's easier than you'd think."

Henrik leaned back to see her past the chair next to him, smiling at her. She smiled and gave him a little wave as she sat between him and Kol. In mere moments Finn left and reappeared with a place setting for her, putting it together before her then retaking his seat. Caroline looked at the array of dishes set out – the sliced roast, Rebekah's salad, regular white and sweet potatoes, assorted vegetables, and rolls. It was like Thanksgiving in the middle of March.

"This is quite a spread."

Finn agreed with a slight nod. "It's remarkable what can be produced when our family takes time to collaborate."

"Except for Kol who does nothing," Rebekah jabbed. He waved her off dismissively.

"I set the table," Henrik told her proudly.

"You did a good job."

He blushed, ducking his head to hide his smile. The table quickly became alive with movement as dishes were passed here and there and everyone dug in.

"Pass the rolls, please," Rebekah requested. "Caroline, roll?"

"No, thank you, but I'll have some of those sweet potatoes if you could send them this way."

"The white are just as good," Klaus muttered out of nowhere.

Her eyes flicked to him. "Sorry?"

"Just curious that you would choose the yams over the regular potatoes."

Her brows slowly lowered, realizing what he was doing, and seriously? "I guess I just had a different craving."

He looked up then with a hard stare. "Clearly."

She scoffed and looked away from him, scooping some of the sweet potatoes onto her plate.

"Oh ease up, Klaus," Katherine berated with a conspiratorial smirk. "She's a big girl. She can decide for herself what she likes and what she doesn't."

"That's right," Caroline added.

"Yes, well, suffice to say she likes to stay within the same vegetable family."

Her head snapped up, eyes wide. " _Maybe_ the regular potatoes were just taking too long to be passed!"

His wide-eyed gape bore into her with a flaming fury, not unlike her own. The stare down between them was electric, heated currents sizzling in the air between them.

Henrik frowned, glancing back and forth. "Why are we fighting about 'tatoes?"

Caroline blinked, dropping her gaze and faking a smile. "You're right, Henrik." She scrunched her nose, playing it off. "It's silly to get mad over vegetables, isn't it?"

"I don't like broccoli."

"Me either," Katherine emphatically agreed.

"Finn gets mad when I don't eat it."

"Seasoned correctly, it can be quite delicious," Elijah argued.

"It's beneficial to your growth," Finn told the five-year-old.

Henrik grimaced. "It's yucky. And it tickles my mouth."

Klaus and Caroline silently glanced at each other, then back down at their respective plates, staying mute.

"Maybe you should try Cauliflower," Katherine suggested, lacing her fingers to lean her chin on them with a lazy grin. "They're in the same family."

Klaus set his fork down with a clang and pushed himself back, excusing himself without a word. Caroline followed his path with her eyes, sorry to see him go, then shot a scolding look at Katherine.

"Was that really necessary?"

"No," she smiled sweetly, "but it was funny."

* * *

Dinner went on somewhat quietly, the remaining few straining to make pleasant conversation. After the meal, Finn took Henrik upstairs for his bath while Rebekah and Elijah cleaned up the remnants. Kol took Caroline on a mini tour of the first floor of the mansion that ended in the parlor room where Katherine was hiding out. Klaus was nowhere to be found.

While Kol lounged on one of the brown leather couches, Caroline confronted Katherine who surprised her with an apology, oddly timed with Elijah's approach. As the three conversed, Caroline found herself enjoying their company. They were compelling conversationalists and sweet to each other, when Katherine wasn't pushing buttons, which Elijah never seemed to mind. He was even oddly more animated with her around and Caroline soon was grateful that she'd given Katherine a second chance because the two instantly bonded over a mutual hatred of the Salvatores. Unbeknownst to them, Klaus had snuck into the room from the far entrance, opposite of them. He lingered with his after supper Bourbon in hand near the couch Kol was sitting on, watching Caroline laugh at something Elijah had said.

"How did you finagle her into coming here?"

Kol turned around, surprised to see him there. "Who finagled? All I did was ask. And she said yes. Don't be mad at me for _her_ choices."

"I'm not mad," he argued defensively. "I'm just…trying to wrap my mind around it."

"Around what? That she rejected you but more than gladly accepted _my_ offer?"

"Don't test me, Kol."

"Is that a teacher joke?" Klaus turned away with a flourish and headed toward the vinyl player in the corner, ignoring Kol's call out, "Sore losing wanker."

He chose a soft, sultry jazz melody that crooned out a story of anguish and symphony of erratic brass notes. Just as he went to turn away, there was Caroline, smiling in the face of his disgruntle.

"Hey. Can we talk?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude on your date with Kol."

"It's not a date."

"He asked you to dinner and you accepted. That qualifies as a date."

She rolled her eyes as he brushed past her. "Seriously? It's a family dinner. And I didn't come for _him_."

He paused and turned around. His lips twitched and she could see wheels turning behind his eyes. She waited him out, expecting a retraction. Instead…

"Be that as it may, I'm not in the mood for talking tonight." Her face fell and instantly he felt regret in his chest. He looked down, muttering an "excuse me" before he disappeared.

Caroline dropped her shoulders with a defeated breath. She wasn't sure why but she felt shaken to her core and wanted nothing more but to go home to her bed, hide under the covers and cry.

"Caroline, darling," Kol called, reminding her she was not at home, or alone. "Come join me."

Shaking off her feelings, she turned away from the empty divide and went toward Kol, taking a sip of liquid courage from her wine glass. He beamed when she joined him, immediately putting his arm around her. He picked up a tiny remote from the coffee table and hit a button. The fireplace in front of them was suddenly aflame.

"Technologies little advances, eh?" She hummed, smiling politely as she downed more of her wine. "This is romantic, isn't it?"

"It sure is."

"You're not impressed."

"Kol…I might not have been entirely honest with you."

He smirked. "That's all right. I like a bit deviance in women."

"I shouldn't have said yes to your proposition." The amusement began to leave his face and she felt even worse. "This was really sweet, and I can tell you've put a lot of effort into it."

"But I'm not the Mikaelson you'd prefer to be sitting here with." She frowned guiltily and he retracted his arm with a sigh. "You can spare me the piteous looks. I knew it from the second Nik saw you walk in. It's just a pity he got to you first."

"Is it, though? I mean, don't you want someone your own age?"

"Girls my age are shallow and thoughtless. They're still teething and I need someone who can bite back. Especially in the bedroom." His eyes held a wicked gleam that matched his roguish grin.

"And you thought _I_ was a good candidate?"

"You're pretty, and smart. And you're not intimidated by my devilish good looks."

She snorted. "No, I am definitely not."

"Go ahead and deny it. Doesn't change what I see in the mirror every day."

"Wow!" She laughed. "You have _the_ biggest ego I have ever seen, you know that?"

"That's not all," he teased, grinning smugly.

"Ew, Kol!" She shoved him with a laugh making him laugh too. "I can't believe you said that!"

Out in the hall, her giggles trailed and struck a chord in Klaus' heart. He sank against the wall in defeat and glared down into the golden puddle at the bottom of his tumbler. As he listened to her enjoying his brother's company, he felt more and more justified in thinking he should never have agreed to pick Henrik up in the first place.

* * *

Now that the truth was out there, Caroline felt more comfortable being herself around Kol. They joked around, poked fun at some of the other town inhabitants – she even extended a half-hearted offer to see if any of her friends would be interested in dating him. She already knew the answer but what would it hurt to give the kid a little hope?

In twenty minutes time, Henrik was back, in his little flannel pajamas, and had no qualms about interrupting.

"Miss Caroline!" He ran up to her and stopped just two feet in front of her, hands clasped in front of him as his feet danced, trying to contain his excitement. "Do you wanna come see my room?"

Her brows shot up. "Of course I do!"

"Come on!" He grabbed her hand, trying to tug her to her feet.

She laughed and stood. "Okay, okay. Lead the way."

He let go and ran to the doorway, stopping abruptly as Finn towered over him with disapproval. He shrank back with a tiny frown.

"We said no running in the house, Henrik."

"Sorry."

"It's all right. I just don't want you to fall and hurt yourself."

"Sorry," Caroline nodded as she walked up. "He was excited to show me his room."

He gave her a little half frown of disappointment that she fought not to laugh at before allowing the two of them through. Henrik walked carefully to the stairs then peeked back over his shoulder, to make sure Finn was out of sight, and dashed up the first flight. Caroline laughed and raced after him. They ran and giggled their way up the second flight and down the hall until they reached a door with a hand-drawn sign hanging on it that read his name. He smirked secretively back at her before opening the door and allowing her into his world.

She stepped into the blue sanctuary, surprised at how modest it was. The twin bed was shoved against one corner facing the door, a large scale painting hanging beside it. The miniature bookshelf to its left had six cubby holes all filled with children's stories and several chapter books. There were two windows on opposite walls and to the left of one was a stack of brown wicker drawers, probably filled with toys. The black dresser matched the frame of the bed and sat pristinely off to the side, near his closet. Atop it sat a globe and a blue piggy bank, nothing more. Two more pictures occupied the walls and there was a family photo framed on top of the little orange night stand beside his bed.

"Oh wow." She nodded with a beaming grin, her hands on her hips. "This is an awesome room."

"Nik painted that," he pointed. It was a jungle landscape with caricature monkeys hanging every which way. The whimsy of it made her smile. "He calls me a monkey cause I love to climb."

With that, he was up on his bed, jumping on the mattress and making monkey sounds. She couldn't help but laugh, amazed to see him so carefree and having fun.

"I can see that."

"He made that one too." He hopped off the bed and pulled her over to the farther side of the room to show her a painting of a silhouetted city skyline, and above it the clouds swirled like ocean waves that a pirate ship floated on. Stars littered the sky, surrounding a full moon, and yellow lights dotted the buildings and bridge. "It's Neverland," he whispered.

Caroline looked closer and saw the little shadow of Peter Pan flying behind the ship.

"Nik says when I'm big enough, he'll take me to see the buildings. And we'll never have to go home. That's why it's Neverland."

She smiled, her heart swelling with warmth and a sudden urge to hug him. When she looked to her side, he was already gone. A glance over her shoulder told her he was at his book shelf, but she couldn't tear herself away from the painting yet. The allure of the New York City skyline was too strong, and the story Henrik had told her made her curious.

"Why does he want to go to Neverland?" she braved asking.

Henrik turned around, holding a book. "Cause it's his favorite place. When we go, it's just gonna be him and me."

"What about your other brothers? And Rebekah?"

He looked down, pursing his lips. "Finn _can't_ come. And 'lijah and Kaffrine wanna go somewhere else. And Bekah doesn't like it so she's gonna stay with Kol so it's just me and Nik. It's our special trip." He went and sat down on his bed, opening his book and then pausing with an afterthought. "You can come with us."

Caroline hesitated then walked over to sit with him. "To Neverland?" He nodded. "I don't know. Do you think Klaus would get mad?"

"No. I think he'd get happy if you came."

"Really?"

"He's happy when he comes to school. And you're at school."

"Are you sure he's not just happy to see you?"

He tilted his head. "Maybe. Wanna know a secret?" She nodded and he gestured her closer until their noses were almost touching. "Nik's my favorite brother," he whispered, "but don't tell Kol."

She giggled. "I won't. I will take it to the grave."

"Do you like Kol?"

"What do you mean?"

"He said you were on a date. Girls that go on dates with Kol means they like him."

She smiled, leaning in. "Wanna know _my_ secret?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded, wide-eyed and eager as he scooted closer.

She winced and lowered her voice. "I only came because I wanted to see Klaus. But don't tell Kol."

Henrik's smile stretched across his whole face. Caroline couldn't help but blush. "I promise I won't tell," he swore.

She sighed dramatically in relief, for his sake. "Good."

"So will you, then?"

"Will I what?"

"Come to Neverland, silly."

"How about I think about it and get back to you?"

He sighed. "Okay. But first," he closed his book and held it up, "you have to finish the Rumpus story."

She laughed. "You mean _Where the Wild Things Are._ "

"No, it's the Rumpus story."

"Are you sure? Because I don't think that's what this says," she gestured to the cover. "Why don't you read it out loud?"

"It's _the Rumpus story_ ," he insisted with a stern look.

"He knows the proper title." Klaus stood in the doorway, surprising them both. Caroline's heart pitter pattered with nerves as he walked in to join them on the opposite side of the bed. "But I think you like calling it that because of what it sounds like."

Henrik grinned devilishly. "Nu-uh…"

"Yes, I think you do," he teased, starting to tickle him, the room erupting with Henrik's high pitched giggles. "You little rump monster, you!"

"No you-uuu!"

Caroline laughed at the display, the endearing pair chasing away the nervous butterflies from before. Klaus caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and was reminded of her presence. He eased off his brother and cleared his throat to recompose himself.

"You don't have to stay, you know."

"It's okay. It's one story. Besides, I've been promising him we'd read it."

"Yay!" Henrik bounced gleefully.

"I'll leave you to it then." Caroline looked up with a frown as he stood and headed toward the door.

"Nik, don't go." He paused, turning halfway at Henrik's timid plea. "You have to do the monster sounds…"

Klaus blinked, sparing a quick glance to Caroline, whose brows rose in response, then back to Henrik who was giving him big brown eyes of hope.

"You know how to do them."

"But you do them better…" He pouted his lips, clutching the book to his chest. "Please?"

Klaus' shoulders dropped. It was the 'please' that did it. And so he sat. And she began to read. All the while he listened, riveted by her rendition of the story that had brought him back to life.

She didn't know the significance that the book held. That it was once read to _him_ to help him vanquish his fear of monsters. That he had read it to Henrik every night for three years straight. That it was the first thing to make his baby brother smile since their parents were taken. She didn't know the sounds he made to hear those precious giggles, or their own wild rumpuses that kept him up past his bedtime. She didn't know it was the one thing that brought him out of the hole he lived in when Tatia died, that the story and his brother were the only things that kept him holding on to his own life.

She didn't know so he couldn't hold it against her, but some part of him did. This was _their_ thing and she'd taken it away from him and turned it into something they'd now forcibly have to share. Why shouldn't it bother him? If he was truly honestly with himself, he wasn't that petty. It wasn't the severance of their special bond that was bothersome, rather the fact that he found himself actually _enjoying_ her inclusion.

He enjoyed watching her with his brother, seeing the way they made each other smile with the simplicity of words and mere gestures. He loved to see Henrik opening back up, being vulnerable and letting him hug her, hugging her back, acting like a five-year-old _should_ be acting. He enjoyed seeing the way she fell in love with Henrik, and how captivated she was with him when no one else was looking, how she taught him to read, and how she read to him.

He enjoyed her smile, the way she read so that the words on the page jumped out, syllables dancing off her tongue and a musical undertone to her voice as it changed tenor with each phrase. He enjoyed the way her eyes dilated when she was being loud and narrowed ever so slightly when she whispered. He enjoyed the way her lips moved, how her nose scrunched, how her lashes fluttered, how her cheeks turned rosy every time their eyes met. Her laughter filled his heart each time Henrik cued for him to make a monster growl, or flail his arms about in faux attack. There was something in her eyes when she looked at him that made him feel whole again, and it was terrifying. He felt it the more he was around her, and he'd desperately wanted to act on it but the fear held him back. Should he let himself succumb to love another once again, he would reopen himself to the possibility of loss. And he'd already lost so much. They all had.

By the time the story ended, Henrik was fast asleep. They were sitting side by side, the book in her lap, and Henrik strewn across his. Caroline let out a contented sigh and Klaus cleared his throat.

"He adores you, you know."

She smiled. "The feeling's mutual." She looked down at the sleeping boy, gently pushing a strand of hair away from his eyes with the tip of her index finger. "He's very sweet. And smart."

"Too smart," Klaus agreed. "At times I wonder if he knows too much. He's already seen more than he should have at his age."

She frowned softly, hesitating to ask, "What do you mean?"

He glanced at her cautiously, his heart pounding, mind pleading with him to halt. But it was now or never. "You might have noticed the lack of parentals in our household." He licked his lips, pausing before unveiling, "Our parents were incarcerated. Three years ago. They were sentenced to ten years in prison for their crimes. Finn, Elijah and I are still working out the custody battle. Rebekah and Kol were old enough to allow us to remain temporary legal guardians since they'd be of age by the time our parents are released. Henrik won't." His face went taut at the thought.

"Does he know?"

He sighed. "At first we tried to tell him they'd gone on vacation for a little while. But he listens to everything very carefully. He heard Finn talk about going to see them. One night he asked me if _he_ could go see them. I wasn't sure what to say so I told him they could only see us one by one. And that you had to be grown up to go where they were. He didn't like that very much." She smiled in sad understanding. "He knows where they are. He won't admit it to anyone, and he doesn't know why, but he knows."

Her heart ached for him, for his whole family. No wonder they were so close and so secretive. They'd been through more than one tragedy. Especially Klaus. She laid her hand on his arm, meaning to comfort him, but he stiffened right away. She drew back immediately.

"Sorry…"

"No, it's…" He caught a glimpse of her eyes and suddenly swallowed and looked down at Henrik again. "We should let him sleep."

"Yeah." She nodded, disheartened by his withdrawal. "We should."

They got up simultaneously and while he tucked his brother in, she put the book back in his shelf, rubbing her shoulder as she waited by the door. He escorted her out, flipping the light switch and shutting the door behind them. They walked down the hall silently. As they neared the staircase, she touched the banister then turned around, catching him by surprise.

"About the other day…" He closed his eyes briefly and looked away. "Why did you leave like that?"

"It's not your - "

"It clearly _is_ me. I did something that made you suddenly change your mind."

"You didn't."

"Then why didn't you stay? And why didn't you kiss me?"

He looked up, startled by her blunt confrontation. The knot in his throat jumped as he swallowed and she saw something she didn't recognize in his expression.

"I wanted to," he admitted. "I should have." He hesitated, then licked his lips feigning... "But Henrik was there. He was – "

"No, don't use him as an excuse. Just tell me the truth."

He searched her eyes, earnest in his expression. "I did want to."

"But you didn't."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"No, I don't – " She pressed her fingertips to her temples with an aggravated laugh. "You don't have to apologize, Klaus. I just want to know why. What was stopping you?" She stepped forward. "What's stopping you right now?"

He peered down at her, eagerly waiting for him to take the plunge. And he wanted to – oh how he wanted to.

"Kol," he mumbled suddenly, his mind grasping at any excuse to cling to his fear.

Caroline blinked. "What?"

"…You came here as Kol's date. It would be wrong to – "

"Oh my god, _seriously_?! In case you haven't noticed, I am standing here with _you_. Not Kol." When he stared blankly back at her, she had reached the end of her patience. "Just forget it." She shook her head and turned away from him, beginning her descent down the staircase.

He gripped the railing with all his might, watching her stomp away from him, wondering why he couldn't answer the pressing urge to go after her. Why did his fear cripple him, keep him from going after the things he wanted? But it wasn't _just_ fear. It was self preservation, for him and for his family.

There was so much they had to deal with, even more that he didn't want her to know about. It had driven Tatia to drink and drive, causing her to lose her life. What if it did the same to Caroline? He couldn't be the reason for another needless death. He was already the reason for so much else. Still, a selfish desire to have what he could not ate away at him.

He heard the door slam below and turned away from the landing, at last. He trudged back to his room, digging his sketchpad out from the night stand and sitting down on his bed, opening it to his latest entry. He traveled backward, flipping page after page, tormenting himself with images of Caroline and the one that kept reiterating, blurring his vision, was the one of her turning away from him, disappointed, marching down the stairs and out of his home, and out of his life.

He couldn't let that image haunt him forever. It couldn't be his last one of her.

* * *

Caroline walked in the door of her apartment with a sigh of defeat. She kicked her heels off and walked over to her couch, dropping her clutch on it before slumping into it herself. _So much for that_ , she silently lamented.

An hour into the episode of _Project Runway_ she'd DVRed, there was a knock at her door. She pulled the metal spoon from her lips and stuck it back into her ice cream carton, brows knit in confusion. Her ponytail bobbed as she padded to the door, tugging her pajama shorts back into place along the way. She turned the lock without bothering to look through the peephole and pulled the door open, and before she could register her own shock, her face was pulled to Klaus' and his lips crushed into hers, parting and recapturing them with more passion than the first. Her hands relaxed against his chest and slid up to lock behind his neck as she began to kiss him back. His lips were full, she knew that already, but they were softer than she would have imagined. And his tongue moved expertly against hers in ways she never knew a tongue could move. Or maybe she'd just never kissed someone as good at it as he was.

She felt his hand go to her lower back, pushing her closer to him, and then he slowed and finally drew back to breathe. Caroline panted for breath, blinking too many times to clear the stars from her eyes. She smiled when he finally came into view, holding his arms to keep herself steady.

"Do you want to come in?"


	5. Chapter 5

**HappyLucyLocket -** Klaus is resourceful. Let's chalk it up to that :P

 _As always my beauties, you are the best for indulging this silliness with your love and praise.  
Thank you for y_ _our favorites, follows, reviews and readership._ _I'm so lucky to have y'all._

* * *

Whew, this one got lengthy! That's what happens when I take a while to update, it just gets longer and longer. I'll try to have the next one done sooner. :)

* * *

 **PART 5**

Sex on the first date was not a rarity for Caroline but, regardless of the circumstances, it was _always_ a totally bad idea. She'd been trying to mend her ways and grow up a little after her last break-up but some old habits truly died hard. Although, technically, it wasn't really a date and _technically_ it was with Kol. Yet somehow, at the end of the night, she wound up in bed with his brother. So maybe it didn't technically count? Hello, denial land. The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one. Her current problem was lying beside her, holding her hand up above his face and tracing the lines of her palm.

She turned her head, watching him with a warm smile. "Are you reading my future?"

Klaus stayed silent, his face serious and complacent. "Admiring your hands."

She paused then let out short laugh. "What?"

He briefly glanced to her then smiled, turning her hand over between his. "They could be artist's hands."

"Only if you consider chasing five-year-olds all day an art."

He lifted it to his lips and planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand, his stubble tickling her skin. Her stomach warmed with affection and she turned her whole body toward his, watching him thoughtfully. He turned too, still holding her hand captive.

"Someone's deep in thought," he teased.

"What changed your mind?"

His eyes softened with understanding. "You did."

She grinned and rolled her eyes, turning onto her back. "So you're telling me, in order to get you to do what I want, I just have to put you on the spot? I mean, unless it was the dating your brother thing, in which case I'm sure Kol would be more than happy to - "

She cut off into a shriek of laughter as he suddenly tugged her arm so she fell over him and began tickling her sides.

"Okay! Okay!" she pleaded as she tried to squirm her way out of his grasp. When he relented and she caught her breath, he gave her a pointed look.

"I'd prefer you avoided the latter."

"I still can't believe you thought that was serious."

"It was a unsettling, to say the least. Although your little potato retaliation gave you away." She scoffed in mock disbelief. "I knew then what it was you were doing."

"Well it worked, didn't it?"

He glanced up at her, a tiny smirk tugging at his lips. "So this was your plan all along, then?"

Just as she opened her mouth to object he seized opportunity and kissed her protests away. She hummed a little sigh as she gave in and relaxed against him, languidly letting her tongue dance with his as his lips sweetly caressed.

"You're forgiven," he whispered against her lips.

Caroline scoffed a laugh, thwacking his chest. He grinned and pecked her lips playfully just before she settled against him and rested her head against his chest. His heart thumped a one-two beat against her ear in time with the ticking tock of uncertainty inside her head.

"Where do we go from here?"

"I'm quite partial to this position, myself."

"You know what I mean."

He was quiet a long while, then said, "We could leave."

"I can't leave. I have a job."

"You can teach anywhere. Perhaps Paris? We can visit the Louvre, glimpse the Eiffel Tower across from a cafe that serves the finest beignets you'll ever taste."

She closed her eyes with a tiny moan. "Don't tempt me."

"Or Rome. We'll indulge in the city's history, then walk along the Riviera, sipping wine directly from the Tuscan vineyards."

"What about your family? And Henrik? You can't just leave him."

"We'll take him with us. He'd love it." She shook her head against his chest and he let out a long exhale through his nose. "I can't answer your question, love. If I let myself think of the future..." he trailed but she understood where he was going.

"We take it one day a time, then." She leaned up, her hand resting over his heart as she looked into his eyes. "Baby steps."

He swallowed, suddenly very aware of the placement of her hand and wondered if she'd intended the intimate sentiment implied. For the moment he was able to stow away his fear and reach up to caress her cheek, gratefully agreeing. "Baby steps."

* * *

 **Monday 4:32 p.m.**

It had been a productive school day for a Monday, ending early enough for Caroline to meet her friends for a happy hour cocktail. Elijah had shown up in Klaus' stead to take Henrik home, but he didn't linger too long. He answered obligingly when she asked about Klaus, mentioning he had an appointment to uphold. She had an inkling what he might be referring to, but the fib was for Henrik's sake so she let it be.

As she walked briskly towards the Mystic Grille, taking in the crisp cool air of one of the first days of Spring, the light melody of her phone interrupted her daydreaming thoughts. She glimpsed the screen and smiled, whipping her hair away from her shoulder with a confident jerk so she could bring the phone to her ear.

"Hi mom."

"Oh good, you _are_ alive. I was worried when I didn't hear from you all weekend."

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Things have been a little weird."

"So I hear."

Caroline stopped walking, frowning. "What do you hear?"

"Oh, you know. Things."

"Mom."

"You know just because I stopped being Sheriff doesn't mean I don't want to know what's going on in my daughter's life."

"Mom," she repeated.

"Tyler called."

Her heart literally stopped. " _What_?"

"He said he saw you going over to that new family's mansion Friday night."

"Okay, first of all, _why_ are you still talking to him? Let alone believing a word he says? Especially about me!"

"So it's not true then?"

"No it _is_ true, but that's not the point."

"Do you even know who these people are?"

"Here we go..."

"I looked into them."

"You are _not_ the Sheriff anymore, mom."

"No, but I _am_ your mother."

"And I'm your daughter. You know, cute blonde who occasionally pops up at your house for dinner, holidays, _unsolicited advice_?"

"Their parents are criminals, Caroline. Both of them." She sighed, gripping her phone tighter in agitation. "They were convicted three years ago. Do you want to know what for?"

"Look. Mom. I appreciate your concern, but if anyone is going to tell me about this, it's not you."

"Attempted murder."

Caroline's blood ran cold and her throat suddenly began to dry. She had to stop herself from nearly bumping into a passerby and step out of the line of foot traffic to take in her mother's revelation. She knew they were criminals and she knew it had to be something less than minor to warrant a ten year sentence, but murder?

"Not to mention the father has priors. There are also quite a few police reports filed for domestic disputes. Do you need me to go on?"

She swallowed, trying to find her voice and had to clear her throat. "No."

"These are not people you need to be around."

She shook her head, despite her burgeoning doubts. "It's not their fault their parents are the way they are."

Liz sighed heavily into her ear. "I know how much of a bleeding heart you are, but you can't go around fixing everyone all the time. Do you really want to get caught up in all of that drama?"

"Even if I tried to distance myself, I can't. Henrik is my student."

"That doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to associate with his family."

She sighed, long and drawn out. "I have to go."

"Caroline - "

"I have to think."

And with that she ended the call, eager to keep her mother from prying further and her thoughts from detonating her brain. Thank god she was going to Happy Hour - she was really going to need that drink.

* * *

 **Tuesday 3:07 p.m.**

"This one's a little difficult. When you put T and H together, they kind of make a funny sound," Caroline explained, following it with a distinct "–TH" sound.

Henrik bit on his lip and hissed out a puff of air in an attempt to mimic.

"Almost. Try sticking your tongue out when you do it. Like this." She stuck her tongue out, just barely biting down, and let the air pass through the cracks to demonstrate.

His nose crinkled and he puffed out his cheeks as he repressed his laugh, covering his mouth to stifle his little snorts as his shoulders shook.

"What? Do I look funny?"

He nodded slowly, breaking into a fit of giggles.

Caroline laughed too. "You're a super silly today, huh?"

He hiccuped through his giggles, doubling over the table to bury his head in his arms. She shook her head, grinning.

"Looks like I'm missing all the fun."

Her head turned at the sound of Klaus' voice, heart thumping with a sudden bout of nerves. Henrik lifted his head to look at his brother with a mischievous grin, holding his laughter in tight.

"Thhhbtt!" he erupted, followed by more giggles.

Klaus' brows lowered as his questioning gaze turned to Caroline. She lifted one corner of her lips in a half-grin. "That's what I get for teaching him about the '–TH' sound."

"I see." He began to smile as he sauntered over. "Ith thith funny?"

Henrik snorted more laughs, absolutely hysterical now. Caroline pressed her lips in a thin smile, crossing her arms with a playful look of reprimand.

"You're just as bad as he is."

"Ath he ith," he corrected, his faux seriousness only making it worse.

She rolled her eyes, another laugh slipping out despite herself. She glanced from Klaus to Henrik who was still sitting in his seat beaming up at her, legs swinging under the table, a wave of nervous discomfort coming over her.

"Why don't you continue reading the words on the worksheet and I'll get the next one?" she told her student, and when he obliged she went toward her desk, expecting the elder Mikaelson to follow. He did.

She tried to hide the tension she felt as she thumbed through the folder on her desk to find what she needed, knowing exactly where the page was the whole time but using any excuse to keep from looking at him. It wasn't that she was scared of the information her mother had given her, but that she wasn't sure how to act around him now, and especially in front of Henrik. Still, she would have to bite the bullet sooner or later.

"I didn't see you yesterday," she started.

"I had a meeting with the lawyer."

"Everything okay?" He said nothing but his eyes went to Henrik and she understood. There was a short lull of awkwardness while she pulled the intended sheet from the folder and closed it. By the time she rounded her desk, standing just next to him, he changed subjects.

"You left quite an impression Friday evening."

"Oh?"

"Elijah and Rebekah raved all weekend. As did Kol."

She hummed in a sardonic tone. "I'll bet he did."

Before he could answer with what she was sure would be something clever and witty, a little brown mop of hair popped up between them.

"Miss Caroline, can we read the Rumpus story?"

"Now, Henrik," Klaus started in a chiding tone, "we don't want to keep your teacher at school any longer than she's meant to. She's liable to get sick of us soon."

Caroline scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Don't listen to him, Henrik. You can stay as long as you want."

Henrik smirked at him and Klaus raised his hands with a little pout of his lips. "Far be it from me to argue."

She grinned and turned to Henrik, ignoring the man sized five-year-old beside her. "Let's finish the lesson first and then we can read the story, deal?"

He pursed his lips, tilting his head all the way to the right until his ear hit his shoulder. A huge smile spread across his face, one eye narrowing. "Can we all read it, together?"

"Sure."

"Okay, deal!" He plucked the worksheet from her hand and darted back to his seat.

Caroline inhaled deeply, letting it out slow and even before turning to Klaus with an accusatory glint in her eye. "Reverse psychology? Seriously?"

He raised his brows, feigning innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh huh." She crossed her arms. "I'd never get sick of my students. Especially Henrik."

He clasped his hands behind his back, taking a step forward so he was beside her, so as to speak over her shoulder. "What about me?"

Her back arched with a tingling shiver and she coyly slid her eyes to his. He held her gaze a moment before his lips curved in a knowing smile and she tutted, rolling her eyes in response.

"That wasn't exactly a 'no'," he pointed out.

"It wasn't a 'yes' either," she retorted then realized she'd walked right into his trap and there were the dimples in all their mocking glory. "I take it back. I'm already sick of you." She shot him a cool smile and tossed her hair as she turned on her heel and went over to the play area where blocks and dolls and little plastic foods were laying about the floor.

Klaus smiled at her back, following not long after. "That's a pesky habit, lying."

"Sure is." She knelt and began to pick up the toys and put them in the designated color coordinated basket.

"You admit it then?"

"Admit what?" she asked distractedly, trying to count off the number of _Mega-Blocks_ she put away.

"Do you want some help with that, love?"

"No, thank you. I've got this perfectly under control." She could hear herself being short, cold even, and knew by his silence that her change of tone was apparent to him too.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No." She stopped and looked up with a frown. "I don't know," she tried again, then almost immediately shook her head. "No." His brows raised in question and she sighed. "We need to talk."

"Words no man is ever fond of hearing."

She stood and put her hands on her hips, glancing at Henrik briefly before lowering her voice, "About your parents."

Klaus swallowed hard enough for her to see his Adam's apple jump. "Has Henrik – "

"No. No, he hasn't said anything. I just..." She inhaled slowly then nodded, confident and resolute. "I have questions and I think I deserve some answers."

His expression turned wary and she was sure he was going to deny her, or possibly storm out never to return. Instead, he licked his lips and just as quickly as he opened his mouth, it closed. The muscles in his face were taut but he nodded curtly. She expected to feel relieved but instead the dread inside her continued to well. Luckily Henrik was there to alleviate.

"Can we read this one?"

They turned, surprised at the direction his voice was coming from and found him standing at her desk holding up her copy of the third installment of _50 Shades of Grey_. Caroline's eyes widened and she blushed hard when she glimpsed the slow spreading smile on Klaus' face.

"That..." She sighed and went over, carefully taking the book from the five-year-old's hands. "You don't want to read this."

"Why not?"

"Well...because..." She struggled, her embarrassment rendering her thoughtless.

"It's for adults," Klaus answered for her, walking over to join them. "You wouldn't be interested in it."

"It has handcuffs on it," Henrik objected. "Is it a police story?"

Klaus stuttered a laugh, bowing his head to cover it with a cough. Caroline glared at him.

"Not helping," she hissed at him. "I thought you wanted to read the Rumpus story?"

"I wanna read what you're reading."

He reached for the book again and she laid a hand over it, wincing a smile. "You don't want to read this. Trust me. It's a yucky love story. It's not very good."

"Then how come Bekah has it in her room?"

Klaus' amusement turned cold. "Rebekah has this book?"

"Oh it was _funny_ when _I_ had it."

"Different circumstances, love."

"We'll get back to that." She crouched down, taking one of Henrik's hands. "Tell you what. How about tomorrow we take a trip upstairs to the library? Then you can pick whatever book you want from there."

His eyes lit up. "Okay!"

"I think it's time you get your things and we leave Miss Caroline to her book," Klaus advised, not ignoring the glaring look she was giving him. Henrik nodded and proceeded to the closet.

"Very funny."

"There's a whole side of you I don't know about, isn't there?"

"And a whole side of your sister, too," she shot back.

His smile lessened but didn't fade. "As to your request, I could come by your place tonight, if you like."

He was working to keep the innocence of his suggestion in his expression but she knew better than those eyes.

"I think that'd be counterproductive."

He stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. "Are you making assumptions?"

She scoffed, but smiled. "Speaking from experience, actually."

"I wasn't aware you had such little restraint."

She pressed her lips together and gave him a little shove to which he laughed. Henrik peeked from inside the closet, observing the two quietly with a little smile.

"Oh I'm not the one that has to restrain themselves."

"Now you're making assumptions about _me_?"

"Okay," she laughed the word out despite herself and held a hand up. "Why don't we just agree to meet somewhere for dinner and talk then?"

"That's probably safest, being under the public eye and all. Unless that's something you fancy."

"Oh – my god!" She pressed her fingertips to her temples with a laugh of disbelief, blushing. "You are so beyond annoying."

He grinned, winking at Henrik as he walked up beside him, clutching the straps of his backpack and looking back and forth between them.

"Dinner, then," Klaus agreed. "Wherever you like. Seven thirty?"

"Fine. I'll text you."

"I'll look forward to it."

"Uh-huh. Go on, get out."

He took Henrik's hand and smirked back at her as they retreated. Henrik looked back, waving. "Bye, Miss Caroline."

* * *

 _ **L'Auberge Chez François**_ **7:42 p.m.**

The restaurant was elegant as farmhouse settings went. The indoor dining room was filled with soft chatter and music, and an ambience of wealth. Outside there was an intimate slate patio with more tables and a trickling fountain that poured into a stone built pond, all surrounded by twinkling lights. The tables were adorned with red and maroon checkered cloths and umbrellas, a candle lit atop each one. Caroline said in her seat and took another sip of the water that had been poured, wondering how long she would be sitting in the company of the wait staff and the crickets before Klaus arrived. If he did.

She didn't rule out the possibility of being stood up. He was charming and he seemed to be as interested in her as she was him, but would his past and his parents' crimes hold him back? After all, it took forever just to get him to kiss her. It'd undoubtedly take even longer to get him to talk to her. Why should she expect anything so soon? Because of past relationships? Matt only opened up about his issues with his mother because she walked in on them making out and it was the first time he'd seen her since she left him and his sister three years prior. Tyler finally talked to her about his anger issues because he knew she would leave if he didn't, but it was still the bare minimum. His behavior back then should have been a red flag but the naive little girl in her saw only the romance in being his savior. Stupid girl.

Amidst her thoughts, she heard an accented voice a short distance behind her, conversing with the host. The host finally instructed him to follow and she sat up a little straighter, smoothing her dress over her legs before he came into view. She'd picked one of her more flattering cocktail dresses in a periwinkle and white floral pattern that bore enough cleavage to both entice and remain tasteful. She kept her hair curled and loosely pulled back halfway so that it looked effortless but chic. She didn't want to go overly fancy in a place that was once a barn. Once the waiter gestured him to his seat and left them, she greeted him with a sour smile.

"You're late. Which I shouldn't even be surprised about."

He smiled as he sat down. "It's an enjoyable symmetry, isn't it?"

"Not when you're as hungry as I am."

"My apologies." He picked up his menu. "Someone was being a bit unruly about his bed time."

"How cute that you still have to tuck Kol in."

He looked up, surprised at first, and then let out a soft chuckle. "Would that he could be home at this time, as opposed to wreaking havoc somewhere in town."

"He doesn't have a curfew?"

"Even if he did, he'd never adhere." He went back to scanning the entrees and she took the moment to observe the two buttons of his shirt left undone, and the skin that peeked out underneath. He paired the grey shirt well with the black jacket and slacks, but she kept getting drawn back to those two buttons. He finally snapped her out of it when he spoke. "I wouldn't have guessed you were a fan of French cuisine."

"There are plenty of things I'm a fan of that you don't know."

"Well I know your book fetishes, now." His eyes peeked dangerously over the leather binding and she didn't have to see the rest of his face to know he was grinning.

"You are seriously the worst, you know that?"

He kept watching her and she felt her face getting warm despite her refusal to indulge him by looking his way. As if on cue, the waiter returned with a bucket of ice, which he faceted onto their table, and an uncorked bottle of wine.

"Thank you, Jeremiah," Klaus said as the young man began to fill Caroline's glass, "I appreciate the favor." Caroline looked across the table at him in disbelief once the waiter had left them. "I asked him to bring us a bottle of the restaurant's finest, to make up for my lateness."

"I had to pull strings just to get a reservation and _you_ got them to bring us wine in under five minutes?"

"Still think I'm the worst, sweetheart?" He lifted his glass to his lips but he was all snarky smiles. She just scoffed, shaking her head and taking a sip of her own. And damn him, it was good.

"So, I have a tiny confession to make," she told him, now that she'd had some liquid courage. "I sort of picked this place on purpose."

"You don't say."

"No, I mean, when you told me I could choose I already had this place in mind. I knew it was really expensive and _I've_ never been able to afford it but I have always wanted to come here." She winced. "Do you hate me?"

He let out a laugh, shaking his head as he leaned forward, fingers lacing. "Now why would I let a silly thing like that change my view of you?"

"Because I'm a total opportunist right now?" His dimples reared and her stomach fluttered with winged beasts of Spring.

"If that's what it takes to get the things you want, why should you apologize?"

"Be...cause my mother raised me to be kind and never to use people?"

"You may not want to pursue a career in politics, then," he advised, smirking as he sipped his wine.

Caroline shook her head, grinning, as she glanced over her menu once more, despite having had ample time to decide what she wanted. Klaus did the same but she could feel a bit of nervous tension emanating from him. Something was off.

"So. What do you think you'll get?"

"I'm leaning towards _une entrecote au poivre_ ," he answered with perfect pronunciation.

Her brows raised, pleasantly surprised. "You speak French."

"Oui, chérie. And what'll you be having?"

She lifted her chin and read off her menu, " _Les aiguillettes de canard_." She smiled boastfully. "Two years of French in high school."

"See? We would have had no problem running off to Paris."

She wasn't sure how serious he was but it won a laugh from her either way. Moments later the waiter came to put out a bread basket and take their order, and while she did, Klaus took a sip of his wine. He was setting his glass down as the waiter left them and cleared his throat, finally bringing himself to face the inevitable.

"You wanted to talk."

"Yes." She took a deep breath. "About your parents."

His shoulders tightened and the guard visibly slid back into place. "What about them?"

"Can I ask what happened?"

"Of course. Doesn't mean I have to answer."

He pursed his lips and glanced at her from beneath his brow, trying for a devilish smirk but it was weakened by worry. Caroline's eyes rolled and her head gave a little tilt. His tongue quickly darted over his lips nervously.

"There was an argument," he started, taking a piece of the bread and buttering it tentatively as to avoid eye contact. "My mother had been unfaithful and my father found out." He reached for the bottle sitting in the chilled bucket and began pouring more wine. "Her infidelity produced a child and that child created a chaotic rift in their relationship whose effects trickled down to the rest of the family." He looked up at last and met her eyes, something sullen hidden behind them. "It led my father down a dark path and my mother was on his heels, at first attempting to calm the beast but eventually, becoming a monster all her own."

"Wow." Her voice was soft and broken, her throat too dry to say more. She cleared it and hugged herself, rubbing away the goosebumps up and down her arms. "I'm so sorry you all had to go through that. I can't imagine how the kid must feel."

"Isolated, I would think. And guilt ridden with blame."

She frowned. "Well it's not their fault your mom cheated."

"No but their existence is clearly a burden to more than one party."

"But it shouldn't be. They're the innocent one in all of this. And I think it really sucks that they have to suffer for their parents' behaviors." She shook her head. "It kills me when I see parents who are ignorant or don't treat their kids right. They weren't born to be your personal punching bag or to carry the brunt of _your_ problems. Like, why even have a kid at all if that's the kind of parent you're going to be, you know?"

He glanced at her briefly before averting his eyes, darting them as her words sank in, resonating with his life and the many tribulations she had yet to uncover. He wanted to tell her the truth, more than anything, but he couldn't bear another look of disappointment, another potential scar on his record that could drive her away. When he lowered his gaze he realized he was buttering a piece of bread he'd already buttered and blinked in embarrassment. It was only then he picked up on the unsettled silence between them.

"I'm sorry," she quickly filled it, shaking her head at herself with a little laugh of self-ridicule. "I do this thing where I ramble when I'm angry. Or excited." She nodded, wincing. "Or nervous. Like I'm doing now. Again. Just ignore me." She bowed her head and he almost laughed at the silly expression of horror hovering over her plate as she snuck her fork to her mouth.

It eased his heart and made him smile. "I think I'd have a very hard time doing that." She looked up, touched and relieved with a grin that melted his heart. His brows raised and he straightened his back with a new resolve. "Onto more mannered subjects then, like how ravishing you look tonight."

She shook her head with a scoff of a laugh. "Okay, seriously, people do _not_ talk like that."

"And how do they talk?"

"They say things like "Wow, you look great" or "that dress looks amazing on you" or..." She realized he was staring and paused her motions. "What?"

"That dress looks amazing on you."

Her heart fluttered and she felt heat blooming in her cheeks as her lips spread in a shy smile. "Thank you." It was a whisper but it was enough to coax his dimples out of hiding and for a second she felt patronized. And then she was over it.

* * *

 **Thursday 3:01 p.m.**

As she walked Henrik back into the classroom that afternoon, she knew the inevitable. No ride at 2:50, 2:55, or 3:00 p.m. meant Klaus. The prospect had her giddy and she couldn't stop recounting the memory of their dinner date. Sure, it was a little unorthodox to go on a date on a Tuesday but so was everything about their relationship. If she was even allowed to use that word. Did it count as a relationship if you'd had sex before the first date but had been carrying a steady flirtation for more than a month?

The date went about as well as could be expected. She didn't get the answers she really wanted, but she didn't ask the burning questions either. Somehow they kept managing to go off track and in retrospect, she wasn't so sure how unintentional it was on his part. Still, he was trying so she had to give credit where credit was due.

Just as she settled Henrik at his table and began to turn back for the folder of reading worksheets at her desk, an abrupt entrance disoriented her. It was almost like he'd whooshed in with the wind and blurred past her but Klaus was at the table and helping Henrik collect his things into his backpack before she could even say 'hello.'

"I'm sorry to have to do this, but we have to be going." He hurried to the closet to retrieve the rest of his brother's things for him.

"Wait. What's going on?"

"We have to go." He reappeared, fumbling to get Henrik's lunchbox and coat under his arm. "Now, Henrik."

Henrik turned around with a pout. "But we just got here."

"And now we're going." He grabbed his hand helped him to his feet, crouching to his level to put his coat around him. "There's no time to explain, so you just have to trust me, all right?"

Henrik nodded as he buttoned his jacket up for him, frowning all the while.

"Klaus, _what_ is going on?" Caroline asked again.

"Nothing to be concerned with, love."

She whipped around as he whizzed past her, Henrik hurrying to keep up with him as he pulled him along by his hand. She sped after them, her worry growing. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

"Caroline, I really don't have time."

She reached the door and saw Elijah waiting down the hall, a somber look on his face. She gripped the panel of the doorway and called out in one last desperate attempt, " _Klaus_!"

He stopped and said something softly to Henrik then turned back. She watched Henrik walk over to Elijah who put an arm around him and then Klaus was in front of her. His face was wrought, brows furrowed deeply, jaw tight.

"My mother's been released."


	6. Chapter 6

**.**

 _Hi guys! I hope all my American readers had a good Thanksgiving._  
 _I know I'm totally not allowed to sit with you guys anymore cause these sweatpants are all the fits me right now. :P_

 _Anyhoo, I finally got a little back into this story and I'm hoping - that's the key word in all of this - that I can keep it up and not leave you guys hanging so long again. With the school semester coming to a close, I'm planning on getting back into the writing groove again. Just know that, at the very least, my thoughts are always with writing. That said, happy reading and here's hoping I'll be back with the next one shortly!_

 _And as always, thank you guys for being sweethearts and reading, following, favoriting, reviewing. Keep it up!_

* * *

 **PART 6**

Caroline blinked, horrified. "Wh – released? As in, parole? Like for good behavior, or what?"

"Released as in she is currently walking this earth a free woman and every second I waste here is a second closer to her taking Henrik away from us."

She swallowed in fear of his tone and the intensity of his glare was searing into her own gaze. She nodded silently and he turned away from her unapologetically, heading in the direction of his brothers. Numbness tingled all over her body and she held her wrist, at a loss for what to do or how to feel.

Klaus, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of emotions, each one tugging him in different directions. Anger, heartache, fear, shame, and a disappointment he was refusing to acknowledge. This was why he never wanted to open himself back up to opportunities like kind-hearted Kindergarten teachers. Every time there was a hope for something better on the horizon, fate would come ripping it away.

This time he was interceding. He stopped halfway to Elijah, fists clenched at his sides. His brother was giving him a curious look but he turned his attention back toward Caroline, heaving a heavy sigh through his nostrils. He walked back to her and she was frowning in confusion.

"I know you want to help but I'd rather you weren't involved in any of this," he told her, keeping his voice low. He knew she wouldn't take that lying down, so he picked her hand up, cupping it between both of his, and coated it sweetly, "I'll reach out to you once things settle down. I promise."

Her eyes were sad but there lay an intriguing understanding in them that had him questioning just how tragic her tragedies really were. And if he'd ever have a chance to find out.

She licked her lips and spoke softly with a somber smile, "You have to say, 'you have my word.'"

His laugh was more of a sharp exhale but it didn't reach his heart. He dropped her hand to cup her face instead, leaning so his forehead rested against hers. Her eyes closed and he followed suit, listening to the shakiness of her breath. In the darkness he let himself memorize the softness of her skin, the shape of her face and the way she turned into his palm so her lips could press against it, a reminder of the 'good' in his world of bad. He would hold that kiss in his hand for as long as he could, a driving force to help him cope with the ordeal they were about to face, head on. He held it as he walked away from her, unable to bring himself to look back again for fear that he might not be able to leave. Elijah held the door to the school open for him and he followed Henrik out, still clutching in his fist a hope that he might one day be able to return it to her.

* * *

 **Mystic Falls, VA 8:35 p.m.**

It had been hours since parting with Klaus and Henrik, and the question of whether or not she'd see them again hung in the air. Caroline had stayed in her empty classroom long after the janitors had come to clean. She didn't touch the books that still sat in front of Henrik's empty seat, or answer the chirping melody humming from her phone every so often from a friend, a colleague, or otherwise. She sat at her desk in rigid numbness until the silence became overbearing, and so she drove.

It was close to six o'clock when she left, her car the last lone occupant of the lot. She didn't veer off into any particular direction. She wasn't ready to go home yet. There she'd be forced to confront her emotions, liable to cry her eyes out over yet another man walking out on her. Even if it was circumstantial.

She just kept driving - anywhere, everywhere - without the radio, without a purpose, but with many many thoughts. What did it mean now that their mother had been released? And how did an almost murderer get off those kinds of charges? Was she innocent? Was she still a threat to her children? What was going to happen to them? Why couldn't she do anything to help? She hated feeling powerless, hated that she had to feel anything at all, especially for Klaus. Her mother warned her, so did her own heart but she was stubborn and didn't like to be told _not_ to do something. Part of her wanted to storm over to the mansion and demand they let her help. The rest of her knew better.

By eight, she couldn't hide anymore. She reluctantly made her way home, fully prepared to drown her woes in ice cream and tears, but when she got there something else was waiting for her. As she approached the door to her apartment, she heard an unfamiliar tune of whimsy coming from within. She opened her door cautiously and learned the song was coming from the TV, and a certain someone was perched on her couch. Her heart pounded and for a brief moment she stood rooted to her spot, not sure what to do or who to call.

His head was half hung, his hair covering part of his face, and his little sneaker bumped continuously into the coffee table.

"Henrik?" His head snapped up and he stopped kicking, his eyes wide and fearful. She shook her head, too confused to think straight. She dropped her keys and purse on the console table and started to walk over. "How are you here right now? How did you get in?"

He shifted to lift his legs up to curl into himself, his knees hugged to his chest and his chin on top, giving her irresistible puppy eyes. "I don't wanna leave," he told her. His voice was thick and as she got closer she could see tear stains.

She frowned, crouching down to his level, and started to reach out to him when he flinched. She stopped, remembering his aversion, and retracted the gesture, moving to sit beside him on the couch.

"Did you come here all by yourself?"

He looked down without answering, staring at the ground in front of him. "Nik said we have to go away," he started sniffling, shaking his head as his lower lip began to quiver, "but I don't want to go. I wanna stay here." Tears rolled down his cheeks and he chewed his lip to keep himself from sobbing. She watched him hurriedly wipe away his tears, as if he was afraid she would scold him for crying. "Can I stay with you, Miss Caroline?"

"Aw, sweetie. You know I love hanging out together, but that's not up to me."

His lower lip pouted even more and she even heard a little whimper before he ducked his head to his knees and wrapped his arms around his head. His whole body began to shake with tiny sobs. If her heart was capable of shattering into a million pieces, it totally was right now.

A movement behind her caught her attention and she looked over her shoulder to see her mom standing in the doorway between the living room and kitchen. Her expression was one she'd seen countless times but her mother's concern could wait.

"Tell you what," she told Henrik. "How about I make an exception? _Just_ for tonight."

He peeked up meekly, still sniffling as more silent tears streamed. He sucked his lower lip in and nodded.

"Why don't we go into the kitchen and you can help me make some hot chocolate? With little marshmallows in it," she lilted her voice to entice him and held her hand out in offering.

He looked at it carefully, then, as gingerly as possible, laid his hand over hers and let his fingers grab onto her palm.

* * *

 **Mikaelson Mansion 8:45 p.m.**

"Finn's going to murder you when he gets home," Kol singsonged, the smile on his face adding to the migraine that pounded against Klaus' temples.

"He's the least of my worries right now."

"He should be your biggest worry." Elijah walked into the living area to join his brothers, his expression stern. "After me."

Kol sat up as Rebekah followed him in. "Did you find him?"

She shook her head with a frown, slumping on the couch with him. "We drove all over town. No one's seen him."

Klaus sighed. "Of course not. They're all too busy looking for other children wandering in the night."

"This is a joke to you?" Elijah peered incredulously. "I don't have to remind you how this will look in court if it gets discovered that our five-year-old brother has gone missing on our watch."

"Missing?" Kol snorted. "I think, at the very least, we can agree he's run away. Not that I could blame him."

"It's your own bloody fault for treating him like a child," Rebekah accused Klaus.

"He _is_ a child, Rebekah!"

"We all know how smart he is, Nik. This isn't the first time any of us has run off. He's probably learned by _your_ example."

Before Klaus could object, Elijah held a silencing hand up. "Rebekah is right. I do not blame you for Henrik's disappearance, however you could have handled yourself better. You took him out of his comfort zone, just as he was beginning to adjust. You essentially dragged him away from a place he felt safe without so much as a word as to why. How did you think he was going to react?"

Klaus was stoically quiet. "I suppose I should have told him we were going to Disneyworld, then? Soften the blow with a little fib for his benefit. That's how this family functions, isn't it? Lie for a lie?"

Rebekah's eyes rolled. "Stop being so dramatic."

"What matters now is not who is at fault," Elijah continued, "only that we need to come together and find our brother."

Kol glanced between the two of them with doubt. "And then what?"

"And then we leave," Klaus answered, his voice quiet but firm.

"You mean we run. Like cowards." Rebekah scoffed, pressing her lips together in agitation. "We don't even know where she is right now."

"We know that she'll be coming," Elijah pointed out.

"So let her! What can she do to us? Nothing. She's not Mikael. She's not the man who abused his children."

"But she's the woman who let him." Kol's bitter voice surprised them all but he said what they all were thinking.

She shook her head, eyes glistening as she glanced from brother to brother to brother. "Even if we leave, even if we get as far away as we possibly can, she'll just keep coming. You know it, and I know it. You think she'll let the bloody case go as far as a trial before she snatches him back?"

"What do you propose we do, then, Rebekah?" Klaus zeroed in with a dangerous glare. "We should just willingly surrender him to her? Give our brother to a convict? I'm sure that would be best for our little Henrik. Hell, why not just let him be raised by wolves?"

Rebekah got up and met his glare with her own. "Has it ever crossed your thick skull that some of us might want to _stay_?"

Klaus peered at her curiously, then switched to Kol who looked away, and Elijah whose carefully guarded expression was telling enough. His gaze lowered as he realized he was fighting a losing battle.

"I tire of running," she confessed. "I want to live a normal life, and so do you. Admit it. Somewhere deep within that black heart of yours, you want to stay too, or you wouldn't have had this house built."

The room was silent but for a sudden vibration. Klaus pulled his phone from his back pocket and glanced at the screen, reading _Caroline_ , then angrily hit the 'reject call' button.

"This house was built with our family in mind. Yes, I wanted us to be able to settle down and finally be done with the tragedy, and the uncertainty, and the fear that follows us. I had hoped that we might finally find some peace after a trying three years. That Henrik might be able to live the life a child, that Kol could finish a full term at college. That you could graduate and continue your life, and be – happy. I naively thought all of our troubles were behind us, but do you know what comes of these childish dreams, Rebekah? Nothing." His nostrils flared, the fury flowing through his blood like rapid fire. "It's time to grow up, little sister, and stop believing in fantasies."

He walked away from her, making for the entryway when she whipped around, fists clenched.

"No. I won't," she challenged.

"Rebekah," Elijah started.

"If you all want to continue living in denial and misery, fine, but I won't follow suit. I don't care if she comes bursting through here tomorrow. This is _our_ home and I won't be forced out of it."

"Neither will I." Kol stood too, determined to stand by his sister. "I'm not afraid of our mother."

Klaus stared them down, enraged. "Then by all means! The judge granted you two your freedoms, so stay here and await your beloved mother's arrival. I, on the other hand, will find our brother and continue to protect him, seeing as no one else seems to understand the imminent dangers about to befall him."

"We all want what's best for him, Niklaus," Elijah argued.

"Do you? Because as it stands, no one seems to understand the insanity of this entire situation!"

"You want to talk insanity?!" Rebekah laughed. "Isn't the very definition doing the same thing, repeatedly? Like running away over and over?"

"I – will – not – subject him to the likes of a woman who sympathizes with a madman!"

"The only madman here is _you_!"

The silence that came over the room was long and cold. Tension rippled through the air like electric currents waiting to spark into flames. When it came to their father, there was a fine line that no one dared to tread.

Elijah squeezed the rim of his nose, jaw clenching. "That was too far, Rebekah."

"Nik..." Her voice was a breathless panic as she scanned his face for any trace of relent. "Nik, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

He slowly raised his contemptuous gaze to her, speaking in a low, almost growl. "You want to keep likening me to him, I'll gladly play the part, sweetheart." His lips curved in an icy sneer. "After all, we're both murderers in our own respects, aren't we?"

She blinked in fear, shrinking back from him before turning away and hugging herself, shrouded in shame.

"We're losing focus," Elijah tried to diffuse. "Our attention should be on Henrik and finding out where he is. We can go at each other's throats later."

Klaus' phone buzzed in his hand again and he huffed a frustrated breath through his nose, answering harshly, "Caroline, now is not - "

"He's here."

* * *

 **Caroline's Apartment 8:55 p.m.**

She hung up the phone, wringing it between both hands. In ten minutes time Klaus would be there and she would have to somehow convince him to keep from breaking her promise that his brother could stay the night. Under usual circumstances she would have no problem, what with her persuasive nature. Now, she wasn't so sure. What she _was_ sure of was that it would be much easier than answering to her mother for their current situation, her mother who was lingering by the doorway, waiting for her to trudge over and face the inquisition.

Henrik was sitting at the island, seemingly calmed down and blowing on his mug of cocoa. It was now or never. She begrudgingly walked over to her mother, keeping her eyes trained on him the whole time. Liz waited her out briefly before taking the plunge.

"What exactly have you gotten yourself into?"

Caroline sighed, clutching her phone tightly before turning around. "Mom, I can handle it."

"Oh really? Then do you want to tell me why this little boy was wandering around by himself in the dark, trying to get to _you_? You're lucky I saw him."

"I know."

"I picked him up, asked him if he was lost and if he needed a ride, and do you know what he told me? He wanted to go to school because that's where Miss Caroline was."

She frowned, her heart warming and breaking at the same time. "It's complicated, mom."

"How complicated?"

"Just...I'm not sure if I can talk about it with you, okay?"

"Well you're going to have to. You're harboring a fugitive little boy."

"God! Do you have to make everything sound ten times worse? It's not like I told him to run away!"

"Why is he coming to you at all?"

"Um, because he's my student? And I'm sure there's a good explanation, what with everything going on." Liz raised a brow and she scoffed, shaking her head. "You know what? Forget it. Clearly you just want to judge me. You'll just throw it in my face like you have been with everything else."

"I am _just_ trying to look out for you."

"I can look out for myself! I'm a big girl and I don't need you to keep playing Officer Mom over my life!"

"Miss Caroline?" Henrik had turned to face them, chewing his lower lip nervously. She gave her mom a look then sighed, going over to sit with him.

"Hey, what happened to all your marshmallows?"

He frowned at his mug then up at her. "Is she mad at me? Your mommy?"

She paused then looked over at Liz, giving her an 'I told you so' pointed look. "No. She just doesn't understand is all."

"Are you in trouble?"

"Well, that's the good thing about being a grown up. Even if your mom, or dad, or brothers or sister try to tell you what _they_ think is best, you don't have to agree. You can decide for yourself what's right and wrong."

He slowly smiled. "I can do that when I grow up?"

"Uh-huh. As long as you make good choices. It's good to listen to what they say but it doesn't mean they're always right."

"Like how Kol always says if cross my eyes they'll get stuck." He proceeded to do just that, making Caroline laugh.

She laughed. "Hey, I can do that too." She did and his smile broadened.

He looked behind him at Liz. "Can you do it too?"

Caroling glanced at her mom nervously, and Liz hesitated, but the big brown eyes won her over. She walked in to sit with them, smiling wryly. "Who do you think taught her how to do it?" She crossed her eyes and then puckered her lips like a fish, making him giggle.

"I can't do _that_!"

"I can," Caroline teased, mimicking her mother. He tried too, making a kissy face instead and they all laughed. As it died down, his laughter became a yawn.

"Ooh, I'll bet it's past your bed time," Liz noted.

He shook his head vehemently. "I'm not tired."

"Why don't we get you settled into the room, at least? I think Caroline's got some stuffed animals still hiding in there."

"Grown ups can have stuffed aminals?" His surprised voice followed her out in the hall and Caroline couldn't help but grin. She started to collect their mugs and clean up and just as she'd set them in the sink, a knock at the door signaled her. _The one time he isn't late._ She shook her head and rinsed her hands before going to answer the door.

"Where is he?" he demanded, brushing past her into the house, looking this way and that, scouring the room wildly.

"It's okay." She followed closely after him, careful to dodge his abrupt turns. "Klaus!" He turned around and she held his arms, trying to ground him. "Hey. He's okay."

"I want to see him."

"He's down the hall with my mom. She's tucking him in." She grabbed his arm again as he started make a run for it. "Just wait!" He did and she sighed, then gestured to the couch. "Sit."

He gave her a weary look but capitulated, throwing his hands up as he did, glancing up with an impatient look.

"I know things are a bit messy in your life. And I'm not judging. Everyone has their secrets and that's fine, under normal circumstances. But coming home to your brother on my doorstep is not normal."

"Caroline - "

She held a finger up. "I'm sure this isn't the way you wanted things to go between us, but it doesn't matter anymore." Her arms flopped and she took a seat, turned towards him. "It's too late to keep me out of the loop, Klaus. You need to tell me everything."


	7. Chapter 7

**Guest -** I haven't written it yet, but I can imagine the reactions to Henrik's runaway destination would be pretty priceless. Except for Kol who would be all 'good on you, mate' lol I _definitely_ will have some Katherine/Caroline action. As for Caroline, I kind of try to balance the amount of the hostile sassy Caroline we've seen her be with him on the show with the soft mother hen she can also be in other aspects and with other people in her life.

 **livingdeadblondequeen -** Awww Miranda you didn't have to go back and do that (but I'm highkey ecstatic that you did!). I think everyone kind of underestimates Henrik just a little, due to his age. Maybe Klaus should have realized but at the same time I think the overall worry of him being gone took precedent to logic.

 **roses0002 -** Yay! Thank you! I love to know that I'm doing a good job keeping them true to form.

 **Snowyarbo -** Calm down in what way?

 **TwilightHybrid -** Thank you so much!

 **Orange-Coyote -** Shhh! I brought you more! :P

 _If I didn't respond to you, it does not mean I love you less. It means it's about 11p.m. here and I'm fading fast.  
But I love you all the same, you beautiful beautiful creatures! Thanks for filling my heart with your reviews and follows and favorites!_

I hope you all had lovely holidays! Here's to an awesome 2018, which it already will be because it's the year of Klaroline. Boo-yah to the haters. ;)

* * *

 **PART 7**

He was trapped in a staring contest and never had he seen eyes more determined than his own. Up until now he'd been a master escape artist, invulnerable to inquisitions and manipulations, but looking back at him was the heart of an angel through the eyes of a saint. And he had barely a moment's time to figure out what he couldn't avoid and what he could strategically omit. As fate would have it, Caroline's mother returned, breaking the intensity with a heavy sigh and buying him some time.

"He's asleep." Liz glanced to the foreign man on her daughter's couch and her police posture kicked in. "Klaus, I take it."

He stood immediately, bracing himself for a certain onslaught, every nerve in his body on edge. He always hated meeting the parents but it was even worse given the current circumstances.

"I don't know what's going on," she continued, "or why he decided to run away to my daughter, but if this is where he feels safe right now, I think we should let him be."

He nodded once, obligingly. "I agree. And thank you. I appreciate everything you've done for us."

"I didn't do it for you," she told him, serving up a serious dose of side-eye. Not that he was surprised.

Caroline stood too, clearing her throat. "It's getting pretty late. You should probably get going." Liz opened her mouth to object but Caroline stopped her. "I've got everything under control here."

"Are you sure?"

"If I need you, I will call you. I promise."

Liz pressed her lips thin. "Call me in the morning anyway."

"Yes, mother."

"I mean it, Caroline."

"I will," she stressed, ushering her mother toward the door faster. "On my way to work."

Liz turned around, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I don't like leaving you alone. I don't trust him."

"Then trust _me,_ " she whispered pleadingly. "I've got this, okay?"

Her mother frowned, searching her face for a reason to stay but Caroline knew she had cornered her. The bridge of trust between them had been a longstanding battle for years, but now that they had finally started to acclimate and understand one another she knew her mother wouldn't want to jeopardize their progress. Liz finally nodded in surrender but not before pulling her down to plant a kiss on her forehead. Caroline smiled reassuringly as her mother held her face.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too."

She held the door open for her. "Call you in the morning."

"You'd better."

Caroline rolled her eyes and watched her go then closed the door, locking it behind her and lingering with her back to Klaus. She pressed her eyes shut, fighting off the humiliation of her mother before collecting herself and turning face him again, bearing a small wince.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. She has every reason not to trust a man she doesn't know."

"I know. It's just...sometimes she can be a little over the top."

"Not unlike her daughter," he teased with a light smile.

She shook her head with a grin as she meandered his way once again, sighing deeply. "Getting back to our current situation..."

"Are you sure you want to get into this? It's late, as you said, and it's a very long story."

With a cool raise of her brow, she brushed past him and retook her seat on the couch, crossing her legs and folding her hands on her lap, giving him a look that told him she would have none of his deviation and very little patience. "I've got nothing but time."

A humorless chuckle left his lips and he nodded, running a hand through his curls before begrudgingly joining her. She waited him out as he searched the floor for a way to begin.

"Do you have something to drink?" He gave a little shrug of his shoulder. "Might ease the process."

She repressed her smile and nodded. "Two glasses of liquid courage coming right up."

Her heart was pounding on her path to the kitchen. He was so nervous, which was honestly to be expected, but it was, in turn, making _her_ nervous too. Having murderous parents wasn't really something anyone would want to advertise, and she got that, but was there something more, something her mother had failed to mention or uncover? She hoped not.

In minutes she had fixed them each a glass of wine, and for good measure brought the bottle with her when she walked back out. She handed him his drink which he quietly thanked her for before taking a swig that emptied half of his glass. She settled in beside him, tucking her legs under her and sipping demurely for her own burst of bravery.

"So," she started for him.

He hesitated before bringing his eyes to hers. "We could talk about something else. We could talk about you."

"Okay, look. I know this is hard, and I'm not asking you to tell me every deep dark secret, but you have to give me something. I'm involved now. Whether you like it or not."

"I don't."

"Well, you can take _that_ up with Henrik." It won her a little smile. She shifted and straightened up, taking another sip with a little hum. "Let's start with the obvious. How did you find out your mom was released?"

Klaus opened his mouth and wavered briefly before sighing in defeat. "Elijah received a phone call at work after the precinct was unable to get in touch with Finn. The charges were dropped after my father made a written confession that exonerated my mother from her crimes." He shook his head. "Some kind of loophole concerning spousal privilege."

"What were her crimes?" She saw the trepidation in his eyes just before he looked away so she grabbed his hand to bring his attention back, softening her gaze. "You're not going to scare me away."

"Accessory to attempted murder."

She swallowed slowly and tried to mask her expression, feigning a mild shock to the previously learned information. "That must have been some confession."

"The confession alone wouldn't have been enough. My mother had to agree to testify against him."

"Does he know she's turned on him?"

"They've always been martyrs for one another. The fact that their shared goal was getting her out is what concerns me."

Caroline hummed in agreement. She clasped her hands together with a resolute nod. "Okay, so she got out. She's still been cut off from resources. She would need a ride, money for that ride, a place to stay."

"It's only a matter of time before she finds us and appears."

"Which is why you want to move on." He averted his gaze. "It just – it doesn't make sense. Even if she got off scot free, it still happened. It's on her record. She can't just get custody back like that."

"You don't know my mother. She will go to the ends of the earth to ensure she wins."

"Guess that's where you get your stubborn determination." He smiled mildly. She studied him quietly for a minute, carefully deciding whether to venture her next question. "Do you think she's really innocent?"

He inhaled slow and deep, as if preparing for some long-winded answer. "No," was all that came out.

There was a short lull as they both contemplated their drinks. Klaus was hunched over now, elbows resting on his knees, his eyes trained on the floor. She could only imagine what was going through his head. Too many things were going through hers.

"You said she was an accessory to attempted murder. Was your father..."

"My father is not a good man." He held his drink with both hands, turning the glass with his palms and watching the liquid in it dance. "Temperamental, at best. Violently cruel, at worst. Life was never really easy for our family, growing up. He believed in a tough love sentiment, and punishment was almost regimental. Some had it harder than others," he told her, and his voice lowered a notch in volume and elevated in bitterness which made her question whether he was being self-indulgent or overprotective. He took another sip from his glass. "After he'd learned of my mother's infidelity, things got complicated. Rationale went out the window along with lenience. Punishments became crueler, drawn out longer, almost as if he were reigning over us the control that he didn't have over her."

"That's awful," she whispered.

He looked down, his voice growing distant as he spoke. "When the affair came to light, when the child learned of their paternal distinction, so did my father. The first thing he did was seek the man out, hell bent on revenge for what he had done to this family. You see, he never blamed my mother for cheating, only her lover. They hold each other up on these incredible pedestals." His jaw clenched and his eyes turned cold. "He eventually found the man he was searching for and there was an altercation but nothing consequential. Years passed and my mother had started to believe that my father attained the closure he needed and had gotten past her indiscretion." He looked up then and there was something cold, something ensnaring in his eyes. "My father isn't one to take things lightly. If he wasn't being impulsive, he was plotting. And so, three years ago, my father's plan came to fruition and he sought the man out again. This time to put an end to him. He was drowning in his own paranoia that this man had still harbored a love for her, that she would be coaxed into continuing their affair behind his back despite the many times she reassured him of the opposite."

"He tried to kill him."

"He didn't succeed but my mother nearly did. In all the commotion of trying to put an end to the brawl, she knocked her lover unconscious. He suffered a nearly fatal head injury which rendered him comatose for some time. Her prints were on the weapon but Mikael – my father – refused to let her go down alone."

"So it was an accident."

"Or so she said in court. The only ones who know what happened are my parents and the man who can no longer speak because of his injury."

She gasped a soft breath of disbelief initially, but as the information processed, a bitter anger rose to the surface. "How convenient."

He glanced at her, one corner of his lips turning up slightly. "I thought so too."

"If she's as guilty as he is, why would her testimony make any difference? Or be enough to let _her_ off the hook?"

"I'm not sure yet. Elijah's looking into it."

"Can he do that?" She rolled her eyes at herself. "I mean, he knows about this kind of stuff?"

"I would think so." He smirked lightly. "Or his many years of law school were pointless."

"…Oh."

"He and Finn work at the same firm, in different sectors."

"Well. It's good to have lawyers in the family. Definitely an advantage."

Something changed in his expression then. All of his anger and resentment had vanished and his eyes now held an inexplicable sadness. She only saw it for the split second that he let her and then he looked away again, like he was still hiding something.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"I'm not." He looked up at that and she felt a small wave of butterflies. "I'm glad you told me. And I want to help."

"I wish you wouldn't."

"Why?"

"You don't know my mother. The things she's capable of."

"Like brain damage?" She smiled lightly but he wasn't amused. "Well I'm not going anywhere." She took his hand and squeezed, drawing his attention to it. "I mean it."

He swallowed and his heart picked up with a beat of fear. The last person who'd said that to him...No. He couldn't compare, and he wouldn't let the past ruin this moment, though it lingered hauntingly in the back of his mind.

"If it's all right, I'd like to stay. I'll take Henrik home in the morning."

"Of course."

"In the interim, _you_ should get some sleep." She shot him a sardonic look. "Lest you want your students to get the better of you, tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes and licked her lips in a smile. "You don't always have to be right, you know."

He smiled gently. "I don't, but I find I often am."

She scoffed playfully and got up to collect their glasses while Klaus stood and grabbed the bottle. He followed her to the kitchen and set it down on the table. As she busied herself rinsing the glasses and putting the bottle back in the fridge, he stood at the doorway watching, but not really seeing her. His mind worried at so many things – the weight of her promises; the potential consequence of allowing her involvement; and how much longer could he keep the rest of his secrets? Or, more importantly, Henrik.

When her bustling had stopped he blinked himself back to orientation and watched her slowly drift back towards him, her arms crossed over her chest. He pushed everything back, focusing on the here and now.

"Thank you. For looking after my brother."

She looked down and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You know," she looked up, timid, "he's not the only one that doesn't want you to leave."

He smiled softly, the back of his hand gently grazing her arm. "You wouldn't say that if you knew me better."

"If you stick around, maybe I could." She moved in closer, flirting with her eyes. "You might be surprised."

Slowly a smile spread across his face, dimples and all. "Is this your way of seducing me into staying?"

"Oh no." She moved closer still, closing the distance between them. "If I wanted to that..." She leaned up on her tiptoes so their lips were inches apart, her voice soft and sultry, "I'd do this."

Gently her lips brushed against his and were met with the soft caress of his kiss. His hand cupped her face as they tentatively tasted one another. Her hands slid up his chest and his found her waist, her little sighs of content filling a void in his heart. He drew back, just barely, letting his lips whisper against hers, playfully.

"Good form."

She smiled, teasingly keeping her lips away every time he tried to recapture them. "Is it working?"

He rested his head against hers, his fingers crawling along her sides to tease back. "You tell me." He felt her body give a little shiver and he held her against him with a little chuckle. "Is that a yes?"

She bit her lip and hummed, moving to wrap her arms around his neck. "You haven't left yet, so I'd say I'm winning." His dimpled grin melted her heart and finally she let him kiss her again.

He wrapped his arms around her completely, holding her tightly against him as the kiss deepened, as their tongues played and teeth tugged. She smiled against his lips when his hands slid down to her ass, and had to break away. He watched her with lusty eyes and she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips.

"Sorry, but not happening." His puzzled look was even more endearing but she stood her ground, taking a step back and letting her hands slide down from his shoulders and back to his chest. "I should really get to bed." She let her hands slide off and stepped back, turning away from him and squeezing her eyes shut, damning her hormones.

"You're right." He cleared his throat quietly. "My apologies."

"No, it's not – I'm not – it's just with Henrik in the other room..."

"Truth be told, he's an exceptionally heavy sleeper. He once slept through Fourth of July fireworks, which were twenty feet away."

Caroline laughed. "Nice try, but no." She gave him a playful little shove then let her hands drop and brushed past him back into the living room. "You're welcome to sleep on the couch. It's pretty comfortable. Or you can stay with Henrik in the guest room. I have extra blankets and pillows."

He followed her out and towards the hallway. "I'll stay with Henrik. See to it that he doesn't try to run off again in the night."

She nodded and turned around once they were both through the archway at the entrance to the hall.

"It's the second door on the left."

He looked past her arm to where she was pointing. His eyes flicked to hers with a tiny smirk. "And which one is your room again?"

She raised her finger at him, trying to repress her own grin. "Don't even."

With that she turned and started down the hall. He stayed behind and watched her go, smiling at her back.

"Goodnight, Caroline."

"Goodnight," she called dully before disappearing into her room.

The door shut shortly after and he was alone.

* * *

 **Caroline's Apartment 6:23 a.m.**

Henrik awoke that morning before the sun had fully risen, with the instinct to scream. Nothing about the room was familiar and the plush penguin beside him stared with unsettling beady eyes that reflected his own face back to him. He sat up and pulled his knees to his chest, looking around in confusion. The pink walls and floral blanket over him were constricting and almost eerie. He realized was not at home, and that made it worse.

His eyes drifted to the floor and he saw the back of a familiar head of blond curls laid over an outstretched arm. A small decorative pillow rest beneath his head and a throw blanket was covering him, barely reaching his feet.

Now he remembered. He was at Miss Caroline's. They had hot chocolate. And her mom had given him the penguin. Henrik let his legs drop and turned onto his stomach, gripping the edge of the mattress as he inched over it.

"Nik," he whispered. When his brother didn't respond, he reached down and poked his little index finger into Klaus' arm. "Nik, wake up," he whispered again, to no avail. He began to poke harder and more consistently, speaking out loud this time, worried, "Nik!"

Klaus twitched with a start, rolling over to face him, wide-eyed and panicked. "What's wrong?"

Henrik shrank back, hugging the stuffed penguin Caroline's mom had lent him. "Sorry..."

Klaus blinked, briefly disoriented, then closed his eyes and exhaled a long sigh through his nose. He let his shoulders drop and rubbed half of his face tiredly. "It's all right." He cleared his throat and looked over at his brother with a little sigh, reaching to touch his hand. "You and I need to have a little chat about last night."

Henrik's eyes widened and he immediately pulled away, hurrying to hide himself under the blanket.

Klaus got up to sit on the bed next to the blanketed lump with a sigh. "You know little monkeys don't run away from their families." No response. "I know you don't want to go, Henrik, but think of it as another adventure."

"I don't want any more a'ventures," his muffled voice grumbled.

"Oh you don't, do you? Because I thought you wanted to see all the wild things in the world. Fly on airplanes. Swim in the ocean. Climb to the very top of a mountain." He tilted his head when he got no response. "What about Neverland?"

"I'm not going."

Klaus whipped the blanket off him with a scowl. "Since when?"

Henrik yanked the blanket back with a "harrumph" and hid again. "Now!"

"Then what do you want to do?"

Slowly the blanket moved up until it hooded his head and only his little face peeked out with big, puppy-like eyes. "I wanna stay with Miss Caroline..."

"I see. Well as much as I'd like to let you stay, I can't."

"Why not?"

"For one thing, it isn't up to me." Henrik pouted and hid his face once again and Klaus sighed a weary sigh.

Out in the hall, Caroline was walking past with her morning coffee. Her alarm had gone off just after six but she didn't dare disturb them. When she heard the muffled voices, she stopped and almost started to knock but what she heard made her pause...

"I can't just tell you it's all right to stay in someone else's home, Henrik."

The blanket moved again and Henrik's face popped up again. "If Miss Caroline says yes, then can I stay?"

"And what about me? Don't I count for anything?" Henrik looked down. "Rebekah and Kol would miss their little brother. And Elijah. _And_ Finn. But then they could all get on with each other. I'm the one who would be a complete wreck without you."

"You're just using 'verse psychology."

"I am not. I'm being honest. You're very very important to me. You make me strong. And you make me want to be good." Henrik was engaged, keeping eye contact thoughtfully. "I know our family dynamic is a little different than others, but I want you to know Henrik, I will never do anything to harm you. Nor will I let any harm come your way, if it's within my power. You know that, don't you?" Henrik nodded.

Caroline's heart swelled with mixed emotions. The softness of Klaus and the sadness of their situation hit her simultaneously. She began to understand the difficulties with more clarity, and how hard it would be for him to come to terms with being, at best, a love child, and at worst, the byproduct of an affair. She could only imagine what Henrik was going through, and what he would still have to go through, and how it would affect him in the long run to learn that his mother had nearly killed his real father. With a heavy heart she left them alone and went back to her room to get ready for the day.

"Tell you what," Klaus offered. "If I consider staying put, will you at least consider coming home with me?"

Henrik thought about it and shrugged. "I guess so."

Klaus pulled him in for a hug and Henrik settled into his lap, blanket and all. His brother smiled down at him, knowingly. "So you like Miss Caroline, do you?"

"So do you."

"Are you making accusations?"

"What's a ack-zation?"

"An _accusation_ is saying something you think without knowing for sure. For example, when you say I like your teacher are you saying it because you _think_ I do or because you know for a fact?"

Henrik paused, thinking carefully before selecting his words. "I think I know."

"Now see _that_ is what we call a contradiction," he said, tapping his nose. It scrunched in response and Henrik rolled his eyes.

"You do too. You just don't wanna say."

"And why would that be?"

"Because you're stubborn."

"Who told you that?"

"No one..."

"Is that right?" He began tickling him and Henrik rolled around in a fit of giggles. Klaus grinned, his heart lightened by his brother's laughter. "Confess and I'll show mercy..."

"Bekah! It was Bekah!"

Klaus relented and a few more laughs trailed out of Henrik. "Well I'll be having a little talk with our sister about what she tells you about your big brother."

Henrik rolled onto his back with a sigh, catching his breath before he asked, "What's stubborn mean?"

Klaus sighed and lay back with him. "It means I am a very complicated grown up."

"That's okay." Henrik turned on his side, tucking his hand beneath his head. "I love you anyway."

Klaus smiled and turned on his side as well. "I love you too, little monkey."

"And Miss Caroline?" His smile turned mischievous.

"Bloody hell. It's like I'm talking to Rebekah and looking at Kol."

Henrik touched his brother's lips with his tiny index finger and smiled. "Bad word."

"You're right," he said against his finger. Henrik withdrew it. "My apologies."

"It's okay. I won't tell Finn." Klaus chuckled. "Do you wanna know how come I like Miss Caroline so much?"

Klaus' brows raised. "Go on."

"I like her 'cause she helped me read. And she reads the Rumpus story really good." He paused and his lips pursed in a coy smile. "And she makes a smile on your face."

"On _my_ face?"

"Yeah. You didn't smile so much before. You always maked this face." He put on a frowny face, his brows lowered deeply. A moment later it vanished. "Except when you come to pick me up. Then you smile all the time."

"And you think that's because of Caroline?" Henrik nodded. Klaus let out a breath of a laugh and hung his head, nodding. He glanced to Henrik who was watching him thoughtfully. With a little smirk, he leaned in close, lowering his voice. "I'll let you in on a little secret...you're right."

Henrik's face broke out into a huge grin. "Good. Then we're staying."

Klaus laughed. "And you call me stubborn."

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"You don't need my permission."

He sat up and looked around. "I don't know where it is."

Klaus blinked. Neither did he. They were still at Caroline's, he realized. "Hold that thought." He pushed himself up with a small grunt and padded out to the hallway, looking both ways for a hint or inclination. He looked at her door, briefly contemplating waking her to ask but the folly of it seemed unnecessary.

He started to walk down the hall in the direction he thought when a door opened and a pajama-clad Caroline bumped clumsily into him. Her hands hit his chest and he caught her arms with a grunt to her gasp and they were staring at each other, dumbfounded. She laughed.

"Hi."

He smiled slowly softening his grip to a caress. "Good morning."

"Um." She slowly drew her hands back and tucked a messy curl behind her ear once he let her go. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Well enough." He was trying not to be obvious as he observed her choice in sleepwear – a slightly too short t-shirt and loosely fitted shorts that inadvertently accentuated her legs, legs he'd started to grow fonder of seeing. More compelling was the way her curls had gone awry while she slept, an absolutely endearing affect that made him smile.

"What?"

His brows raised and his heart gave a little start at being caught. "I was just admiring your lovely bedhead."

She rolled her eyes with a scoff. "You're one to talk."

He watched her disappear behind the adjacent wall which the sound of the faucet would tell him was the bathroom, reaching a hand up with a frown to touch his own curls.

* * *

Almost an hour later she had magically transformed from a sleepy twenty-something into a Kindergarten teacher. Henrik was sitting on the couch watching cartoons again while Caroline fixed Klaus a cup of coffee, and herself a second.

"So how bad is Finn going to take it when you get home?"

"If I can work out a way that he doesn't find out, we'll all be better off."

"Has he always been like that?" She swallowed a sip of coffee and added, "All patriarchal and uptight?"

"Finn's never had a large capacity for imagination. His favorite thing to do growing up was homework." Caroline laughed. "He leads a rather mundane life."

"I guess someone had to take on the responsibility when..." She stopped, eyes widening as she caught herself. "I'm sorry. That was totally insensitive."

"No, you're right. He actually seemed glad to step into the role." He shrugged with a hint of a grin. "Gave him a purpose."

She hummed a laugh. He gestured her toward the doorway and followed her through to the living room. Henrik was engrossed in _Spongebob Squarepants_.

"Eventually we _will_ have to leave, Henrik," Klaus told him. "You still have school today."

"I can take him in," Caroline offered. She went over to sit on the couch with him, smiling. "You want to come early with me? Help me set up the classroom?"

He looked up to his brother excitedly. "Can I Nik?"

"You can't go to school in your PJs. You need a fresh set of clothes, perhaps a bath after wandering all night."

Henrik pouted and looked down, exuding as much sadness as he could. It didn't faze Klaus but Caroline was always a sucker for the puppy eyes.

"Well actually..." She got up again and strolled in Klaus' direction. "We have an emergency change of clothes in the classroom. I put it on the supply list at the beginning of the year for the parents, this way if someone has an accident, they have clean clothes to change into."

"That doesn't account for his cleanliness, however."

"I can take a bath here!" Henrik offered, hopes raising again.

Klaus glanced at Henrik then narrowed his eyes at her. "It's endearing, this little tag team thing you two are doing."

Caroline grinned, folding her arms. "What? Afraid he might like me better than you?"

"Not that I could blame him." Her smile widened and she let out a little laugh, ducking her head as her cheeks tinged pink. He found himself smiling too. "All right. Why don't I draw you a bath, help you clean up and then we'll go to school together?"

"I'll make a little breakfast," Caroline agreed. "Do you like pancakes?"

Henrik nodded. "With chocolate chips."

"Henrik, don't push." The little boy frowned, abashed.

Caroline laughed. "I think I can manage that."

His smile lit up her heart. So did Klaus' tired one. He nodded and gestured to the door, leading Henrik out and winking back at Caroline before the two disappeared. She shook her head, smiling to herself as she marveled at how such an emotionally exhausting night could make for the sweetest morning after.

* * *

 **4:31 p.m.**

She had spent the better part of her free time at school looking up any information she could that would help his case and keep Henrik and the rest of his family safe. Her mother's help was always an option, and it was usually the best one, but a.) she didn't want to have to go running to mommy for help because damn it, she was a grown, independent woman, and b.) it was way, _way_ beyond the boundaries of her relationship with the Mikaelsons to involve more people. Especially former police sheriffs.

After the school day had ended, Caroline made plans to meet with Klaus back at her apartment. When he picked Henrik up he told her he was going to drop him off with Rebekah and meet with Elijah before making it just in time to be late for dinner at her place. She wasn't the best cook, admittedly, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve from lonely nights when her mom had been out on duty. Plus the alone time would do both of them some good.

As she walked with the bag of groceries in one hand and texting Klaus in the other, she almost didn't hear her name being called.

"Hey. Caroline. Wait up."

She turned around and her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She clutched the plastic bag handles tighter, her nails digging into her palm. "I swear I will call the cops."

"I just wanna talk."

"I have a restraining order."

"Actually it expired a month ago."

"Which I will be reinstating _today_."

"I'm not here to hurt you."

"Because you've done enough of that already."

"How many times do I have to apologize? I'm working on it, okay? Give me a break."

She huffed, tossing her hair with a cool jerk of her head. "What do you want, Tyler?"

"It's about that family you've been hanging around. The Mikaelsons?"

"This is so not your place."

"Hear me out. There are things about them you need to know."

"Not from you." She turned and kept walking but he was quickly on her tail.

"Then who?"

"Literally anyone else." She shook her head and opened the rear passenger door to set the groceries on the seat, fighting to keep her calm. "By the way, I already know the tragic backstory, and guess what? They're still better people than you are. So just get it through your thick head that we are _over_. And that will never change. Ever." She slammed the door and pulled her own door open to get in. Tyler moved so she couldn't close it.

"So you know that their father is an abuser? That their mother enabled him and went down for his crimes and is now out of jail trying to get her family back?" She stared at him, brows knit. "What do you think will happen when their father gets out and their mother has paved the way for him to go back to doing what it is he did to those kids?"

She searched his eyes carefully. "How do you know all that?"

He tilted his head giving her a knowing look. "How do you think?"

"I have to go." She started to pull the door closed but he pulled back on it and the handle slipped out of her grasp.

"I'm already breaking the law by telling you, can't you just give me a little bit of credit?"

"Credit for what? Being a creeper ex-boyfriend who snoops on everyone that comes into my life?"

"That's not what this is."

"Unless they're your clients which makes it ten times worse."

He paused for a long time, his stare hard. "They're not. But, Care - "

"No. Do not "but Care" me. You are not my boyfriend anymore and you have no right to invade my personal life! And _stop_ talking to my mom! That is just beyond low, even for you!"

"I only went to her because I know she'll listen!"

"And, what, you think you can get to me through her?"

He shrugged, too arrogant for her liking. "Maybe."

"You're disgusting."

"Why? Because I care? Because I'm still looking out for you even after you dumped me?"

"I dumped you because you cheated on me!"

She shook her head and started to reach for the door again but he grabbed her arm this time. The death glare she gave him could start fires.

"If I can give you some legal advice, stay away from them."

She ripped her arm away and grabbed the door handle one more time, ignoring that she nearly slammed it on his fingertips. She started the car up and rolled the window halfway as she shifted into gear.

"Do us both a favor, Tyler, and take your own advice." She backed out of her spot without a second glance, leaving him standing in the empty parking spot.


	8. Chapter 8

**Blueberrygold** \- All will be revealed in time.

 **TwilightHybrid** \- I wouldn't bet on Tyler being a happy camper with things at all in this fic, but Liz has the potential to come around.

 **BeccaSco** \- Aww, thank you!

 **Guest** \- Your in depth review gave me so much life. Thank you for that. Tatia was not a lawyer, no. It was more of a strangeness with being open with this person kind of feeling for him. I'm not the best at conveying those kinds of subtleties but it's something for me to work on! Yes! I'm so glad you picked up on the little Henrik spying things. That's mildly important to the grand scheme. :)

 **MagsSky** \- Thank you, sweetheart!

 _As always, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your love and support!_

 _I swear all your pleas for updates didn't fall on deaf ears. I didn't mean to take this long to update, especially since this chapter has been mostly done for months. I got deeply invested in trying to finish the first draft for my novel series and it's coming close, guys! I hope you'll bear with me as I try to divide my attention, but never worry that I'll leave this story unfinished. I have plans. ;)_

 _Now all the real life stuff aside... OMG WHO SAW THE EPIC KLAROLINE REUNION THE OTHER NIGHT!?_  
 _I'm so alive and still riding the high from it. It totally brought me back to this fic too and hopefully will help me get another update out sooner._

 _That said, enjoy!_

* * *

PART 8

 **The Mikaelson Mansion 3:43 p.m.**

Henrik's excited chatter about the prospect of his brother having dinner with Miss Caroline was all that filled the foyer as they walked in. His voice carried through the mansion far enough to reach the lone occupant who waltzed out just as Klaus had shut the door. Henrik's sudden silence told Klaus who would be behind him when he turned around.

"You're home early," he spoke before facing the wide-eyed monster that was Finn. Henrik moved to hide behind his leg, shamefaced.

Finn's jaw set as he swallowed carefully. "I don't suppose you want to explain where you found our brother. Or that you lost him at all," he add as an afterthought.

"How like you to jump straight to blaming _me_."

"I don't see anyone else to blame. Especially when you're the one he's cowering behind."

He felt Henrik's head lower against his leg and put a hand on it protectively. "Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere. Somewhere not within earshot."

Finn sighed through his nose. "Henrik, go to your room."

Henrik peeked his head around, sucking in his lower lip. "Is Nik in trouble?"

"I'd worry less about him and more about the consequences of your own actions, if I were you."

Henrik's eyes widened and he scampered to the staircase. Just then, the door opened again to filter in two more bickering siblings.

"All I said was that his leather jacket was pretentious," Kol was saying, following a very annoyed Rebekah in. "He dresses like we live in the 1950s."

"If it bothers you so much, then get your own life and stop invading _mine_ ," she argued.

"Where's the fun in that?" He stopped when she did, realizing she'd quieted for a reason. He smiled when he saw Henrik lingering by the railing. "Welcome back, buddy."

Rebekah spied the tension between her brothers with a worried crease between her brows. "Finn, why aren't you at work?"

"Rebekah, take Henrik up to his room and stay there. I need to have a word with Niklaus."

Kol rolled his eyes, sauntering toward the staircase. "Oh come on, Finn. Don't get all high and mighty, making a scene." He gestured to the littlest.

"We were all responsible for Henrik's fleeing," Rebekah added.

Kol crouched to his level. "Where did you get off to anyway, bud?"

"Miss Caroline's," Henrik said meekly.

Rebekah looked stunned. "Why on earth would you go there?"

"Good on you, mate." Kol grinned cheekily, patting him on the back. "If I were to run away, I'd find a pretty girl to stay with too."

Rebekah scoffed. "That's appropriate."

"What?"

"He's five!"

"He's a man. It's instinctual."

" _Now_ , Rebekah." Finn's voiced thundered with force from the echo of the foyer, scaring them all into silence.

She frowned and walked over to her little brother and held her hand out, whispering, "Come on, sweet pea."

Henrik looked back at Klaus sadly. He gave him a small, reassuring nod to go with his sister.

"I've got him," Kol said then swiftly lifted him over his shoulder like a rag doll, a little giggle echoing as they ascended the stairs. Klaus let the sound ease his heart, silently thanking Kol's rarity. Rebekah followed after them, quietly teasing Henrik's upside-down appearance.

Klaus and Finn's eyes traveled back to one another almost simultaneously.

"You had no right to keep this from me."

"You're right," Klaus confessed. He spread his arms. "I should have told you."

"Don't patronize me."

"You're not the sole guardian, Finn. It's a combined effort between the three of us. That was the court ruling."

"And yet you constantly take it upon yourself to do with him as you see fit, never mind taking me or Elijah into consideration."

"I didn't tell him to run away to his teacher!"

"You didn't stop him, either!"

"What would you have of me? Punishment? Suffering? You stepped into our father's shoes quick enough, why not make yourself more comfortable and fill his role entirely?"

"I am trying to keep this family together! Meanwhile, you're doing a bloody good job at tearing it apart!"

"And there we are again with the blame." Klaus nodded. "Always the self-righteous brother."

"This isn't about _me_."

"No. This is about Henrik."

"That's right." He nodded. "And if you had been keeping a better look after him this might never have happened. I could petition the courts to remove you from the custodial contract." His eyes narrowed as he looked down his nose at his younger brother. "You were never in your right mind to care for a child. Not after Tatia."

"Don't you _dare_ bring her into this."

"Further proving my point." He gestured. He held his gaze hotly, then nodded in affirmation. "You won't be picking him up from school anymore."

"That's not for you to decide."

"I just did." _  
_  
He walked down the two steps into the Great Room and, after a beat, Klaus was quickly on his tail.

"Did you have anything to do with her release?"

Finn turned around, wide-eyed and appalled. "How could you think that of me?"

"Spare me the pretenses. We all know you're mother's favorite."

"My jurisdiction is family law, not criminal defense. Despite the fact, it would be a conflict of interest."

Klaus lifted his chin, glowering. "That wasn't a no."

Finn's eyes turned cold. "Don't undermine my investment in Henrik's well-being, Niklaus."

"I'm not undermining. I'm flat out questioning it."

"I had – nothing – to do – with our mother's – release – from prison."

"So help me if I find out you did."

"What would you do besides spew idle threats?" Klaus glared, jaw clenching and unclenching as he clawed through his mind for a response. Finn nodded, his smirk a mockery. "That's what I thought."

He watched his brother walk out with an arrogant straightening to his spine. The bloody bastard was proud of himself, proud of belittling his flesh and blood. They always wanted to make him out to be their father's heir but right now, Finn was becoming a bigger contender.

* * *

 **Caroline's Apartment 7:28 p.m.**

Why was it when you were waiting for something, or _someone,_ the ticking clock became annoyingly apparent? Each stroke of the second hand was like a taunt. She glanced up at it for the millionth time and only a minute had passed. It felt like a billion. She and Klaus had agreed to seven o'clock, and, really, she should have anticipated his tardiness. For some reason she was on edge about it this time, and with every _damn_ tick tock of that clock she chopped into the head of lettuce more angrily. _Tick. Chop. Tick. Chop._

 _Stupid men and their stupid tics..._

It was actually a blessing that he was late. Because of her unanticipated run-in with Tyler, her cooking time had been intercepted by a trip the police station. How did he even know when the document had expired and how could she have not? Was he just waiting for that moment? It sure as hell seemed like it! It had been almost two years since she'd had to deal with him face to face and they had been such a blissful two years. Now she would have to go through the process all over again, have another hearing, take time off work and deal with this just to ensure that he would never again be in a twenty foot radius of her. At least.

But it wasn't just Tyler's appearance that had her off balance. It was what he'd said. _Their father is an abuser._ She might have guessed that from Klaus' context, but it still wasn't the easiest thing to stomach. She grabbed the cucumber and chopped. _What do you think will happen when their father gets out and their mother has paved the way for him to go back to doing what it is he did to those kids?_ What if he was right? Was their mother's freedom just a gateway into getting their father freed, as well? What did he do to the kids, and which ones? Damn him! Why did he have to show up and shake her world up?

She sighed and finally laid the knife down to check on the rest of the meal to distract herself from her thoughts. The water for the pasta was bubbling and the sauce was near flavored perfection. The bread was cut. The wine was chilling. The table was set – to a tee, she might add, as her compulsive tendencies demand that everything have a place, be in it, and look _House and Garden_ magazine ready. She even redid her hair and makeup, put on lipstick for the idiot, and here he was just about to be a half hour late. Could today get any worse?

As if answering her prayers, the doorbell to her apartment rang and she finally let out the breath she'd been holding. She gave her hair one last fluff as she walked through her living room before pulling the door open to greet him.

He had his hands behind his back and a secretive smile as he stood about a foot from the door. She smiled thinly.

"You're late."

"As promised." His goading smile was irritating. He finally stepped into the threshold and his arms freed themselves to present her with a stunning bouquet. Calla lilies, pink tulips and roses. "These are for you."

Her heart warmed at the sight of them and she took them gingerly, almost regretting her greeting. "Thank you." She smiled again, small but genuine this time.

"You're welcome." His lips were pursed and his eyes stayed trained on hers as he sauntered past her. She rolled her eyes at his back when he was fully inside and closed the door, taking a deep breath before heading into the kitchen to put the flowers in water.

Klaus followed her lead, shedding his coat and setting it on the back of one of the chairs as he admired her set up. Pristine and precise and completely Caroline.

"It smells like you've been hard at work."

"Uh huh." She kept her focus on arranging the flowers, trying to remain neutral, but transparency was her middle name.

"Are you all right, love? You seem a bit tense."

She stopped and sighed, raising a hand to her head. "Yeah. Sorry. It's just been a really bad day."

"I can relate." She looked over with a frown. "Finn found out about Henrik."

"Guessing he wasn't happy?"

"That's putting it lightly."

"It's so hard to imagine him mad. He always seems so calm."

"There's always a calm before the storm." He nodded to her. "What about you? Did the five-year-olds plan a siege? A little kindergarten rebellion?"

She laughed. "I wish it was that simple." She fussed with the tulips, shaking her head. "I had a run-in with my ex today."

"Aah…" It was then he took it upon himself to seize the bottle of wine from the bucket on the table and fumble through her drawers for a corkscrew. She watched him out of the corner of her eye with endeared amusement.

"He has the amazing ability to put me in a _really_ bad mood."

"Most encounters of that nature tend to do that."

"Most exes aren't Tyler."

"I take it things didn't end well."

The cork popped and her arms dropped. "Things didn't even end badly. They blew up. And then the little bits and pieces of that blew up into a million _more_ bits and pieces."

His brows raised and he began filling her glass. "You're going to have to elaborate on that."

"What, now?" He lifted a brow. "Seriously?"

"I believe it _is_ your turn to divulge, sweetheart." He smiled as he sat, gesturing for her to join him as he took up his own glass. She put her hands on her hips. Someone was smug tonight.

"Fine." She sat with him and grabbed her glass, holding it idly as her eyes searched anywhere but his face.

"You're going to have to start sometime, love."

Her eyes flicked to his in warning and he hung his head with an apologetic grin. Caroline looked down at the red wine in her glass and took a courage bolstering breath before she began.

"We were high school sweethearts," she said plainly. "I mean, we've known each other our whole lives but the dating part happened in high school. We were that on again off again relationship until junior year of college, when it got serious. We graduated and then he went away to law school so we did the long distance thing, saw each other over breaks and on holidays. It seemed to work out fine because when all was said and done he proposed." She took a pause to down some of her wine. "I said yes."

Klaus swallowed, taking in the new knowledge with as much neutrality as he could.

"While he finished up school I started planning the wedding. Picked a venue, flowers, a dress, the whole shebang." She was blinking a lot but her eyes were cast downward. She finished her wine before going on. "He, um, wound up cheating on me. With a stripper at his bachelor party. One of his friends who's known us both since elementary school came and told me the next day. Apparently it wasn't the first time, either."

He stared in hot disbelief, unable to distinguish whether the possessive fire igniting in his chest was vengeful or protective. Or both.

"I mean, at least it was _before_ we were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together. Oh, and the real kicker? The girl got pregnant." She shook her head with a humorless laugh. "Of course she kept it. They've been together ever since. And, in the most _screwed up_ turn of events...said child is now my student."

"Bloody hell."

"Yeah. So not only does he still live and work in the same town, so I still have like an 80% chance of running into him, but I also have to see his five-year-old clone every day. As if I needed a reminder."

"Does he ever come to the school?"

"No. He's not allowed while the restraining order is active."

"Restraining order?"

She winced a little, lowering her voice shyly. "I told you it got bad."

"What did he do that warranted your taking a restraining order out on him?"

"You know what, I totally forgot to pour the pasta." She got up and went to the stove, pouring the dried noodles into the boiling water and compulsively checking the rest. "I'm not the best cook but I _think_ this might actually be good."

Klaus sat back, eyeing her skeptically all the while. "I told you my story."

She pursed her lips, chewing the lower one as she stilled the spoon. Her heart was fluttering with nerves and she could feel a lump starting to form in her throat. She told herself she wouldn't get worked up over it again but Klaus' insistence reminded her of what she'd gone through. She inhaled shakily, hoping he couldn't hear the imbalance in her breath, and reluctantly let the spoon go. Grabbing the dishtowel from the oven handle, she turned to face him and gripped the cloth in her hands, wringing tightly.

"He was...controlling. After we broke up he started following me. Keeping tabs, you know? It was annoying." She stopped wringing and let the cloth hang loose with a sigh. "I got sick of his stalking so I went to the police."

Without waiting for his reaction, she turned around again. Her eyes darted until she spotted a tiny old grease stain on the counter and began scrubbing at it. He watched the muscles in her body tense as she fought her demons with a washcloth, decidedly finished with her tale. He stayed silent, wondering what she wasn't telling him, but he was never one to push.

"He says he's just looking out for me because he still cares but he doesn't. He's getting back at me for dumping him. His precious ego can't take being the dump- _ee_ instead of the dump- _er_."

"You don't think he still has feelings for you?"

She scoffed, scrubbing harder. "Honestly? I don't care."

"What was he trying to warn you against?"

Her motions stopped and she quickly realized her slip. She let go of the cloth once and for all and turned around, letting out a nervous laugh. "What do you mean?"

"It's just that 'look out for you' implies that there's something to fear."

"No. There's not." She settled back against the counter crossing her arms. "He just has this warped mentality that I can't take care of myself. Kind of like my mom."

His eyes narrowed playfully. "I think his concern is a bit different from your mother's."

"Yeah." She smiled a little. "She means well, you know? She just spent so many years taking her work home with her. It's ingrained in her."

"What type of work did she do?"

"She used to be the town Sheriff."

Klaus blanched. "You don't say..."

"Hey." She smiled. "I never asked you what _you_ do for a living."

He hummed as he swallowed the sip he'd taken. "Architecture. Mostly freelance since the case has been going on."

Her head jerked, impressed. "Wow."

"What?"

"Nothing. I just didn't take you for an architect."

"I designed our mansion. Inside and out."

"So you're an interior designer too."

He laughed. "Not exactly. I hired someone to do that part. Though, I think Rebekah has a knack for it."

"Girls and fashion. It's like peanut butter and Nutella."

"I don't think I've ever heard that comparison before." She shrugged with a smile. "And what about you? Did you always want to be a Kindergarten teacher?"

"Not always." She looked down as she meandered over to join him at the table again, taking up her glass to refill it. The daydream shone through her eyes when she looked up at him again. "I always wanted to get into something more dramatic, like television or, I don't know, broadcast journalism. The whole lights, camera, action thing."

"Why didn't you?"

"I was afraid." She looked down again and he was beginning to notice how often the mannerism appeared when she spoke about herself. "I didn't think I had the guts to do it. And I was with Tyler who..." She breathed deeply, shoulders rising and falling. "Who didn't make me feel any better about it." She shook her head, fingertip circling her glass. "Anyway, I got into teaching because it was something I was comfortable with. I used to help run the after school programs with the little kids. They loved me and I loved them. It just worked out that way."

"I'm glad it did." He quickly retracted, "For the fact that it allowed us to meet. Not...obviously, not for the other reasons."

She smiled. "Me too."

He grinned, rewarding her with his melt-worthy dimples and a butterfly inducing twinkle in his eyes. She inhaled shakily, trying to ignore the flutters and the heat in her cheeks.

"So, did you decide what you're going to do?"

"About my mother?" She nodded. "Most of my family is bent on staying put."

"Would that be so bad?"

"For most of us, no. For Henrik, I'm not sure."

Caroline pursed her lips. "Have you tried asking him what _he_ wants?"

"The last time I tried that he wound up here." Their eyes met and she couldn't help but blush.

She looked back at the stove as a short silence befell them. "We should probably eat," she suggested. "Before it gets cold." She rose to tend to it, but her wrist was seized, holding her back. She started to look back as he stood too and his fingers slid down to hold her hand.

"Before that, I think we should start over."

"Start over?"

"I didn't properly greet you at the door." Just as she started to question his meaning, his hand slid against her cheek. It was magic the way he made her feel things with just a single look.

"No," she nodded, taking a step forward, "you didn't."

He smiled, thumb caressing her cheek with the gentlest of swipes as he leaned in, lingering just shy of her lips. "Hello, love."

She smiled broadly, her heart lifted worlds from the depths of her woes, and she leaned up on her tiptoes to meet his kiss.

* * *

 **Monday 4:18 p.m. – Mikaelson Mansion**

Mondays were, by no means, anyone's favorite, but this one had a disconcerting vibe to it that nagged at Caroline all day. When Henrik wasn't in class, she texted Klaus on her first break to make sure everything was okay. His reply eased her mind, but only a little. Apparently Elijah had kept him home sick after he woke up with a fever. Lamenting his absence, she decided to go and surprise him with a sweet treat – she'd heard he loved brownies – and some reading materials to make up for his illness. If she so happened to see Klaus in the process, well, that was a bonus.

The house always amazed her when she came across it. Now that she knew it was all Klaus' design, she appreciated its appearance more as she walked up the path to the front door, finding all the little nuances that screamed his aesthetic. Or at least what she knew of it so far. She knocked thrice and waited, her smile irrepressible as she anticipated his surprise at seeing her.

The door swung open and her smile faltered when she was met with a woman she had never seen, though she looked...vaguely familiar. She stood tall and indignant, her honey colored hair pulled back from her perfectly structured face in an effortless looking updo. There was an air of superiority to her, and it wasn't just the power suit. In looking at her, Caroline realized something. The boys all had their mother's eyes. Except for Klaus.

"Can I help you?"

It was almost a bark and her impatience brought Caroline back into focus. "Uh, hi. I was looking for...My name is – "

"Caroline?" Rebekah peeked from behind the door. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes seemed to be urging her away, almost warning. The woman's brows knit before she turned over her shoulder.

"You know this woman?"

Rebekah looked as though she was cowering away, her eyes worry filled. "She's Henrik's teacher. We met briefly once when I picked him up from school."

"Right. Sorry. We haven't met..." her voice trailed abruptly with a questioning lilt as she put her hand out in offering, but the woman refused an introduction, her eyes briefly flicking to the hand with insult. Caroline let it drop.

"Is there a reason you're here, Caroline?"

"Oh. Well..." She looked at the little paper bag and let out a nervous laugh. "I wanted to give him a little something. To help him feel better. If...it's not a good time, I can give it to him tomorrow. When he comes back." She held the woman's gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Is he coming back tomorrow?"

Her face remained straight. "We'll see."

Caroline swallowed, her smile faltering. "Well, I hope he feels better soon."

"I'll pass on the message." The door closed before Caroline could even nod.

 _Crap, crap, crap!_

Her heart was pounding as she hurried down the walkway and back to her car. If Rebekah's desperation was any indication, this could _not_ be good. Their mother had found them and she had Henrik and Rebekah, at the very least. Her hand shook as she fumbled her keys out of her bag and unlocked the door, getting into the safety of her car. She dug her cell phone out, scrolling hastily to find his name and hit "call."

 _Come on. Pick up. Pick up..._

"Hello?"

"Klaus, she's here."


	9. Chapter 9

**LadyoftheFanfictions** \- Of course there's going to be more! I am far from done with this story. It might be a little time before I get to Rebekah and Kol but they'll come around again. Promise.

 _Thank you darlings! You've made this so much fun to write and given me so much love. I appreciate you all._

Sorry, sorry. I took forever, again. But I'm quite happy with how this is going. I'll try to have the next one soon. Enjoy!

PART 9

 **Caroline's Apartment 4:31 p.m.**

Adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream, pumping her blood at record speeds. Her fingers tapped the steering wheel as she pulled up to her parking space around the corner from her garden apartment. As she switched the ignition off she could only feel her rage making her heart beat wildly. She slammed the door of her car and rounded the corner with angry stomps that shook the earth beneath them. She normally wobbled a little on the sidewalk in her heels but right now everything was tunnel vision.

Klaus was waiting on the steps outside her door with Henrik in tow. Seeing them stirred her and there was no time to think when she finally reached them. Her hand went flying across his face in a harsh _slap!_ It stunned them all and her breath came in fast little pants. His head turned back slowly and she closed her mouth in a frown.

" _Never_ lie to me like that again."

Henrik's eyes were as wide as saucers and he hurriedly moved out of the way so she could unlock the door. She walked into her home briskly, leaving them to their own defenses. Klaus walked in with his brother clutching his leg then murmured for him to go to the living room and turn on the television. Henrik obeyed without question.

Caroline waited for him to find her in the kitchen, trying to contain the whirlwind of emotions inside her. Relief trumped by anger, and anger trumped by fear. Klaus found her standing rigid in front of the sink, staring out the window. She had shed her jacket and purse sloppily over the table. Her fingers were gripping the counter's edge hard enough to whiten her knuckles.

"Let me explain," he started.

"Yes, by all means please explain to me why you didn't feel the need to mention that your mother is _at your house_!" He was shamed into silence by the sheer amount of fury in her voice and the ferocity in her eyes. "I went over there expecting to see a sick kid and instead I see this wasp of a woman holding her own daughter hostage!"

"I'm sorry."

"I thought Henrik was in there with her! I thought…" She huffed, shaking her head and turning away as she pressed her fingertips to her temples, cursing the tears that sprung on.

"Caroline..."

"No."

"Caroline," he repeated, edging closer.

"Just don't."

But she knew he was right behind her, that when she turned around he would try to take her in his embrace, comfort her into submission when _he_ was the one she was mad at. She wasn't giving him that benefit. And she definitely wasn't going to let him see her cry.

"I should have told you." She nodded with her back to him. "I just…" He let out a breath. "I thought it would be easier."

"Why?" She finally faced him, letting her anger flourish. "Why is it easier to hide the truth than it is to let me in?"

He flinched at that and slowly shook his head. "I don't know."

"Do you know how scared I was for him?" She crossed her arms, her voice softening as she stubbornly looked away, blinking back the tears to keep them from falling. "For you."

He swallowed and braved a step forward to tip her chin up with a single fingertip. She kept her gaze lowered until he slid his whole hand to cup her face, his other on her shoulder.

"I am _truly_ sorry." She blinked a few times before shakily sighing in relief and defeat."I should have told you where we were, what was going on." He ducked his head a little to try to catch her averting eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

She glanced up, and as much as she wanted to stay angry, she couldn't. Her lips turned and she nodded feebly. He nodded once to reaffirm and then meandered to her side, leaning with her against the counter. A silent beat passed.

"I imagine this is not your ideal 'meet the parents' scenario."

Her laugh was sharp, humorless. "Hardly."Her amusement waned with curiosity. "Did you know? That she would get there today?"

"I wasn't certain. I had a hunch."

She shook her head. "Why didn't you warn Rebekah?"

"Rebekah chose her side."

Her brows lowered in skeptical disbelief. "So she chose to be there? Then why was she practically begging me for help?"

Klaus peered curiously. "In what way?"

"I don't know. Just...the look in her eyes." She shrugged, hugging herself and frowning. "She looked petrified."

He looked away. "Kol won't leave her on her own," he decided. "They fight like animals but their loyalty to one another is a force to be reckoned."

"At least she'll have _one_ ally..."

His eyes snapped to hers, stalking her every movement heatedly as she walked away from him and busied herself with the flowers from a few nights ago.

"I can't save them all," he said finally.

"Why?" she challenged, turning around again.

His expression defied her. "There's a little thing known as free will."

"There's also something called responsibility. _They_ are yours."

He looked away. "It's complicated."

"They're your _family_. What is so complicated about that?"

"Kol has no idea our mother is home. When he walks in, when he sees Rebekah is her prisoner, he'll inevitably choose to stay. His self-preservation won't trump her safety."

"So that's your plan? Sacrifice one for the good of the other?"

"For now."

"So he's just collateral damage?" She rolled her eyes. "Because that's fair."

"In case you haven't noticed, sweetheart, fair isn't high up on my to-do list. Nor do I need your approval." She blinked, taken aback by his tone. His face filled with immediate regret. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever." She walked over to her purse and began rummaging for her phone. Klaus ran his hand over his face in tired frustration.

"I didn't mean I don't care, Caroline."

"You're on edge. I get it."

He sighed through his nose and walked over to her, hovering behind. "How can I acquit myself?"

She stopped rummaging, looking down. "A little compassion wouldn't hurt." She turned around to face him. "I don't want to tell you what to do. It's your family's issue to deal with." She reached up to touch his face, frowning. "But I _am_ scared."

He held her hand against his cheek, his other at her waist. "So am I."

They shared a look of understanding before he rested his forehead against hers and they both closed their eyes.

"I'm glad you're okay," she whispered.

His eyes opened and he let his nose graze hers a little so she would smile. She looked up at him from beneath lashes and he brushed her lips in a gentle kiss, hugging her to him as he let her warmth comfort him. She kissed him lovingly, her hands grazing his stubbled jawline with tenderness before linking at the back of his neck when she leaned in on her tiptoes. A tiny blissful sigh coaxed him into sneaking his tongue between her parted lips, turning the tables lustfully. She followed suit, her hips bucking into his on their own. His hands wandered down from her mid-back and she felt her weight lifted from the ground before he sat her on her own kitchen table.

She smiled against his lips as he moved in between her legs, his fingers weaving into her hair to tilt her head up for another taste. Gently she let her nails drag against the back of his head, sifting through the softness of his curls. He moaned into her mouth and it made her tighten her legs around him which in turn made him grind against her. Her neck arched and invited him to lavish it with kisses. She opened her eyes only briefly but it was enough to catch a glimpse of movement in the doorway. She turned her head just a little so his lips dragged to her cheek.

"I think we have an audience," she whispered. Klaus paused, eyes half lidded before he followed her line of sight and saw the little mop of brown hair wisping as he scurried away. A tiny growl of frustration sounded from his throat.

"Henrik," he called warningly.

Caroline laughed. "Let him be."

"Kol's turning him into a little voyeur."

She pushed herself back from the edge a little, gripping it with her hands as she gave him a knowing look. He sighed and retreated backwards, bumping into the counter behind him and hanging his head in defeat.

"He must think the world of me, now." She glanced up with a shameful wince. "I'm sorry I slapped you."

"I deserved it."

"No, you didn't." Their eyes met briefly before she broke contact. She let her legs swing a little out of restlessness. "So what now?"

"I hadn't thought that far."

"Does he know what's going on?"

"No. And I'd prefer to keep it that way."

"You can't lie to him forever."

"I know. But if I can protect him from the truth a little longer, then I will. Even if it means he'll hate me in the long run."

"He would never hate you. You're his favorite."

His dimples appeared. "Did he tell you that?" Her wide-eyed shamed face was all the answer he needed. "Fancy that."

"That was supposed to be our secret."

"And what other secrets are you two keeping, I wonder?"

She smirked as he neared her. "None that you'll ever find out about."

He leaned closer still, his narrowed eyes zeroing in on hers. One hand went on either side of her, flat against the table, and the proximity made her heart begin to race.

"Is that so?" His voice was almost a growl and it made goosebumps rise all over. He probably expected her to shrink away, submit to his domineering, but she challenged him back and leaned closer, their noses just barely touching. His look of surprise was totally worth it.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?"

"Careful, love. You're playing with fire." His hands slowly crept over her thighs, bunching her skirt to slowly shove it upwards.

She grinned then grabbed his shirt in a fist and tugged him hard, pausing just before their lips could touch. "Maybe I like a little danger." His breath hitched and she bit her lip, taunting him with her eyes.

He started to let one hand slide inward, stroking her inner thigh delicately in contrast to the hot intensity between their gazes. "I'll keep that in mind," he murmured against her lips, about to kiss her again.

"This is awkward," a voice drawled, its owner slinking in the doorway with a bored expression on her face. Both blondes froze, turning in tandem. Henrik popped his head from behind her with a tiny smile.

"Kaffrine's here."

Klaus let go and stepped back at once. A flushing Caroline slipped off the table, smoothing her skirt out. "Henrik, did you let her in?"

He shrank back slightly. "She knocked..."

"You know you're not supposed to answer the door for strangers," Klaus reminded him.

"You two were occupied," Katherine reasoned, putting a comforting hand on the five-year-old's shoulder who just as quickly shrugged it off and ducked around her toward his brother. Klaus put a protective hand against his back.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well I sure as hell wasn't going to the mansion after Elijah filled me in."

"He knows we're here? And where I live?" Caroline glanced to Klaus but he raised a dubious brow.

"You're the only kindergarten teacher in town." Katherine leaned against the door panel, crossing her arms. "Doesn't take a genius to track you down."

Henrik tugged his brother's pant leg and whispered, "Are you and Miss Caroline maked up now?"

The pair shared a glance, awkward smiles abounding. Klaus shook his head. "What makes you think we were angry?"

"Cause of how she yelled and hit your face."

Katherine glanced at her, impressed. "And I thought Kindergarten teachers were sweet."

Caroline ignored her and crouched to her knees. "Henrik? I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He shrugged and looked down. "I didn't mean to scare you."

He looked up timidly. "I don't like it when Nik gets hit." She blinked in confusion and looked to Klaus for clarification but he was just as bemused.

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "What I did was wrong. We should never hurt people. Especially when we're mad."

"Why were you so mad at him?"

She opened her mouth to respond but Klaus' voice answered, "It was my fault." He nodded emphatically. "I told her a lie and she found out about it."

"Why did you lie?"

"Because I'm an idiot."

"Understatement," Katherine chimed in.

Caroline scoffed, sliding her eyes to them both in scolding. "What he _means_ is that he was scared."

Henrik frowned hard. "Scared of what? Nik's never scared."

"I'll tell you when you're older," Klaus told him.

His lips quirked in an adorable smirk reminiscent of one of his other brothers. "Like tomorrow?"

"Nice try, monkey."

"I'll tell you later," Caroline whispered playfully ignoring the warn of Klaus' eyes.

Henrik's eyes lit up. "Are we sleeping over again?"

"Again?" Katherine lit up too, her implications more devious.

Klaus' jaw set. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" she goaded.

"Yeah," Henrik agreed. "Why not?"

His eyes flicked to hers dangerously while he instructed his brother, "Go back into the living room and watch your cartoons. We'll discuss it later."

"But you're all in here," he protested.

"We need to have an adult conversation, Henrik."

His little brows furrowed in a deep frown and he crossed his arms. "When I'm a grown up I can say no to you and you can't make me in trouble."

"Well, fortunately for me, you're not one yet."

Henrik's mouth went tight and he stomped off dramatically. Klaus watched in mild concern despite his amusement. "He's getting more and more brazen by the day."

"I like it," Katherine said.

Caroline let out a long sigh and went over to the cupboard by the fridge, pulling out a bottle of _Savignon Blanc_. "Anyone else need a drink?"

A melody went off on Klaus' phone alerting all three of them. The tension in the room while he silently read the message was almost suffocating.

"Elijah's looking to come here after his shift," he finally announced.

Caroline set the bottle down with a thud. "If you all start showing up here, Henrik's going to know something's up."

"Something _is_ up," Katherine argued. "The wicked bitch of the West End is back."

"Keep your voice down, Katerina."

Katherine glared at him. " _Don't_ call me that."

"Your name's not Katherine?" Caroline asked in confusion.

"She doesn't like people to know her birth name." He smiled sinisterly as she fumbled for her foot. "I guess I forgot."

"How about I shove my heel through your skull? Maybe then you'll remember." She inched closer, wielding her stiletto in his face threateningly.

"Save the bedroom talk for your fiancée, sweetheart." She took another step and he grabbed her wrist in a vice grip.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Caroline shoved her arms between them to separate the two, frowning in disbelief. "Seriously?! We have bigger problems than your bickering."

Their staring match lasted a moment longer before Katherine finally backed away, taking up a seat at the table to put her shoe back on.

"We're all on edge here, but going at each other's throats is no way to solve our problems." She spared a glance at each of them, both acknowledging her minimally. The room fell silent again while she took out three glasses and filled them, handing them off respectively. "Here."

She set one on the table for Katherine then handed Klaus his. The three of them remained in silence, each pondering their glasses with minute sips.

"Does anyone have a plan?" Caroline finally asked.

Katherine pursed her lips. "Stay as far away from the mansion as possible?"

"Okay. Does anyone have a _productive_ plan?"

"What?" She shrugged. "If she can't catch him, she can't take him away." Caroline sighed.

"I wouldn't put your faith in this one." Klaus crossed his arms, leering at Katherine. "She'll betray you the first chance she gets."

Katherine's eyes rolled skyward with a groan. "Will you drop the stupid art project already? I said I was sorry!"

"A lot of good that does me. A semester's worth of work was ruined, thanks to your carelessness."

"Oh boo hoo. I left it out in the sun and it faded. It was an _accident_."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I don't expect you to do anything. Except maybe drop dead."

His nostrils flared and he stepped forward, enraged.

"Stop it!" Caroline pushed on his chest to hold him back glaring at Katherine. "Both of you." Katherine raised her hands in surrender and Klaus' tension eased. She let her hand relax, then grabbed a fist full of his shirt. "You. With me."

She pulled him toward the hallway and let go when they were near her room so she could turn to face him.

"You know she's baiting you, right? And you're just as bad an instigator."

"You don't know her, Caroline. You don't know our history."

"You're right. I don't. What I _do_ know is that your fighting isn't going to help Henrik. Or you. So can you please just be civilized for, like, five minutes?" He sighed and rubbed his chin in impatience, letting go with a toss of his hand but refusing to look her in the eye. _Stubborn as a five-year-old._ "Thank you." He nodded and hung his head, giving her a glimpse of the painful worry in his eyes just before. She stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. We're going to figure this out."

He looked up and the pure vulnerability in his eyes was enough to shake her to the core. "I can't lose him too," he said quietly.

Her hands moved to caress his face comfortingly. "You won't." Her thumb stroked his cheek lovingly and his brows twitched in an awed expression.

"Why are you so sure of me?"

"Why aren't you?"

He turned from her touch and walked a few steps away. He didn't make any movements except for the curling and uncurling of his fists. "Elijah will be here soon."

Her shoulders drooped in disappointment. One step forward, and a mile back. "I've been thinking..." She started towards him carefully. "What if we talk to my mom? She has some pull, maybe she could - "

He turned around sharply and her movements froze. "You haven't told her anything, have you?"

"Well not _all_ of it, but - " His sigh of distress cut her off. "What? Why is that bad?"

"Getting the authorities involved will only make things worse."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think it mattered…"

"It matters very much." He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "We can't stay here. I won't have you be any more involved than you are."

"Why not?"

"Because it's too dangerous, Caroline!"

"Yeah! I know!" She shrugged. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the one running here."

He pressed his lips together, exhaling through his nose. "I wish you would."

"And I wish you'd stop wanting to push me away, but we can't always get what we want." His eyes narrowed, rolling away from hers. "Klaus, I get being scared, but helping you is _my_ choice. And I happen to be pretty damn capable, actually." He glanced up, lifting one brow, smiling wryly. "What? I am!"

"You never cease to surprise me."

"That's what happens when you underestimate people." She put her hands on her hips intending to come across matter of factly but to Klaus she looked adorable.

"A mistake I won't be making again."

"Good. Because..." Her arms dropped. "I know you have your issues or whatever, but, believe it or not, I care about you. And I'm in this. And I'm not going to sit back or be pushed to the sidelines." Her heart pounded the whole time but if she didn't get it out now, she never would. "I'm not scared of getting caught in the crossfire but I am scared of losing you." She swallowed, feeling a light heat in her cheeks. "And Henrik," she added for good measure.

Klaus' eyes had grown wide and he seemed as stunned as she was nervous. He stood speechless, unsure how to respond, but there wasn't anything _to_ say. She'd just needed him to know.

A light piano tune interrupted the silence. Klaus pulled his phone from his pocket and his anxiety amplified. He hadn't seen the name show up in three years and there it was in bold type. His blood ran suddenly cold, his fingers clutching the device going numb.

"Elijah?" Caroline guessed.

"No." He swallowed and looked up at her confused face, saying nothing just before sliding his finger to answer the call. "Hello, mother."


	10. Chapter 10

.

 **chaosslayerx** \- I would never, babes.

 **Guest** \- Thank you for this beautiful review! So, I think there's a reason the slap was comprehended by Henrik as both scary but not condemning. I'll shed some light on that in the future but take note. And yeah, eventually they might have to suck it up and accept Liz's help. Not sure yet, though.

 **Ladyofthefanfictions** \- lol Welllll...

 **araj140** \- Hi! I'm glad you love the story and I understand your request for recaps, but I unfortunately have to decline. With the limited amount of time I have to write the chapters (among other stories and projects) I don't really want to spend what time I do have rewriting what I already wrote, you know? I hope you can understand and don't hate me! x.x

 **JuseaPeterson** \- Jusea! My long lost love! Thank you for your kind words. I think this being such a different kind of story is also what makes me enjoy writing it so much. It's got a sense of realism that appeals to me even though it still has that AU vibe.

 **Other Guest** \- Awww thank you, bby! I love hearing it's re-readable! I seem to always have a knack for making Klaus push her away in my fics, however this time it's a little more justified. When I get to the history with Tatia, it'll make more sense.

 **Orange-Coyote** \- You got that right!

 _You guys rock my world. Thank you for your love and support, always and forever. xoxo_

 _Have I mentioned I've been considering making this into an original novel? Would that even appeal to anyone? I digress._

 _** **BRIEF WARNING:** The next couple of chapters are about to get kind of heavy. Brace yourselves.**_  
 _(Don't worry I'll fluff it up after to make up for it.)_

 _So! Picking up right where we left off..._

* * *

PART 10

"It's been some time since I've heard your voice."

Klaus rolled his eyes at the pretense. "I've been preoccupied. More important things to tend to." He began pacing Caroline's room, absently glancing over the contents on her dresser.

"You must think very highly of yourself."

"Trying to follow _your_ example."

There was an agitated pause and then, "Where is my son?" All patience was lost from her voice. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror.

"Finn should be home within the hour," he quipped.

"You cannot keep him from me, Niklaus."

"Watch me."

"At least let me _speak_ to Henrik."

"What makes you so sure he's with me?"

"Coyness has never been your strength. You would seize any opportunity to go against me, even if it meant kidnapping your own brother."

"I have legal guardianship."

" _Temporary_ legal guardianship. I am a free woman now. And a young boy needs his mother."

"And where were you for the rest of us? Where were you for _me_?" His breath was hastening. "When I begged for father's mercy you stood by and watched my suffering. You did _nothing!_ You were more intent on your fancy dinner parties and your aristocracy." He clenched his jaw, gripping his phone. "You know most peoples' reputations precede them but in your case, mother, _you_ precede yours."

"I'm not going to acknowledge that."

"No, of course you wouldn't. Anything to avoid showing the least bit of humanity."

"Is your hatred for me so deep that you would put your own family in danger?"

"The only danger to our family is _you_."

She huffed into his hear. "Let me speak to him."

He scoffed and pressed his lips together. "Fine. After you let me speak to Rebekah."

"You think I'd harm my own daughter? There's more to fear from _your_ company when you consider your track record with young women." His nostrils flared, spine straightening with fury. "Rebekah is fine. Safe and sound in her room. And she will remain that way so long as you cooperate."

"If you harm a hair on her head – "

"Don't belittle my character. Not when I could have you charged with abduction." Silence again, longer this time. "Bring Henrik home or I will be forced to go to the authorities."

"Go ahead. It's my word against yours. Who do you think they'll listen to? A convicted criminal?"

"Stubborn child," she drawled. "You have no idea what you're going up against."

"I've had plenty of experience with monsters."

"Monsters are a thing of make-believe. The real world is far crueler when it comes to fear and punishment." He swallowed at the threat. "I'll give Rebekah your best."

He opened his mouth to object but the line went dead. He gritted his teeth, gripping his phone as his body tightened with uncontrollable rage. With a powerless shout, he threw the phone across the room and it smashed against the wall, falling in pieces.

* * *

In retrospect, leaving Klaus alone in her bedroom may not have been the brightest of Caroline's ideas, but it was the most private place in the house, at present. Besides, she had nothing to hide. As long as he stayed out of her night table drawers.

The anticipation was agony. What could his mother have wanted? Apart from the obvious. The walls in the apartment were thin enough that she could hear his muffled voice as he spoke, but her conscience kept reminding her to stop straining. If he wanted to share with her what was said, he would. In the meantime, she kept trying to occupy her mind with other concerns. Henrik was in the other room, the cartoon sound effects trailing in every so often, and Katherine was tap-tap-tapping away on her phone. Probably typing to Elijah.

She kept stealing quick glances between her new friend and the empty doorway, swishing her wine idly and sipping it every so often.

"That's really annoying."

Caroline's heart jumped and she blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"You're staring."

"I wasn't – " She smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry. Long silences make me antsy."

"Clearly." She went back to her texting.

Caroline pursed her lips, tapping her finger against her glass. "Anything from Elijah?"

"Nope. This is work."

"I didn't know you guys were engaged."

Katherine quirked a brow without looking up. "So?"

"Are you guys planning the wedding?"

"Not anytime soon."

Caroline nodded, growing impatiently quiet while Katherine typed away on her phone, the little clicking sounds seemingly mocking her. "But you followed him here," she made it a question. "I mean, I get it's because of the circumstances."

Katherine sighed, lowering her phone. "What's your point?"

"Isn't it hard?"

"I travel a lot for work so the moving around doesn't really bother me." Caroline considered her with a hum. Katherine set her phone down at last, sliding it to the side and picking up her own glass. "Before this all blew up we were practically inseparable. You know, I gave him a drawer. He took _five_." She rolled her eyes and Caroline smiled. "The man has as many ties as I have shoes."

"I'm guessing when their parents were charged he wanted to be near his family."

"He did. We broke up over it. Twice."

"Why?"

"I've been dealing with his family's drama for almost ten years now. When their trial was going on, I begged him to cut the cord. He wouldn't, so I left him." She shrugged, averting her eyes as her fingertip circled the rim of her wine glass. "Not my proudest moment. But," she took a breath, "after their sentencing, it kind of became clear what would happen. Sure, it put a dent in our future, but I'm not heartless enough to stop him from taking care of his family. Or being a part of it."

"That's really cool of you."

"Someone's gotta keep these Mikaelson boys in check." She smiled, tipping her glass toward her. "And let me tell you, after being outnumbered for so long, It's nice to finally have a little help."

Caroline laughed. "In that case..." She picked up her wine glass and raised it. "To keeping them in check."

"To cracking the whip." She smirked and clanked her glass with hers. As they drank to their pact, tiny footsteps creeped in.

"Miss Caroline?"

She peeked around Katherine at Henrik standing meekly in the doorway. "Hey, bud."

"Are you guys still talking about grown up stuff?"

"Actually, we were talking about dinner. Are you hungry?" He nodded. "How does a grilled cheese sound? And some chocolate milk?"

"Yes, please." He walked over and climbed up onto the chair to sit with Katherine at the table while Caroline went to work.

"Hey." She leaned forward with a smirk. "A little birdie told me you're learning how to read."

Henrik's brows knit in comical confusion. "Birds don't talk."

Katherine laughed. "I guess you're too smart for me, kid." She sat back. "You'll probably outsmart us all one day."

"Not Elijah. He's smartest."

"He is pretty smart, isn't he?"

A loud shout followed by a small bang made the three of them gasp. Caroline stared at the backsplash in front of her with wide eyes, imagining her bedroom door through the wall, and the man behind it.

"What was that?"

"Nothing good." Katherine sighed.

Henrik frowned. "Where's Nik?"

Caroline turned around putting on a calming smile. "He's just in the other room on the phone. He'll be right out."

"But he yelled." He climbed out of his chair to investigate but a hand reached for his wrist.

"Hey," Katherine stopped him. She smiled, uncharacteristically sweet. "Do you remember a few weeks ago when Elijah and Kol had a fight? Elijah got really mad and he yelled?" He nodded. "We were in the other room with your brother and he wanted to go see what happened."

"You told him no."

"That's right. Do you remember why?"

Caroline listened to the pair, laying the sandwiches into the frying pan. It seemed it wasn't just the Mikaelsons that kept showing her new sides to them.

"Cause Elijah would yell at him too and then they'd be in a fight," Henrik answered.

"I think, if you go by your brother right now, it might not be a good idea."

He frowned deeply. "He's gonna yell at me?"

"Well, no. At least I don't think so, but he needs to cool off. Just like Elijah did."

He looked down, pursing his little lips as he considered the wisdom she'd bestowed upon him. With a little huff of a sigh, he drooped his shoulders and retook his seat. Katherine smiled and gave his hair a affectionate muss which he promptly smoothed out.

"Nice job," Caroline said softly, setting the first cooked grilled cheese in front of Henrik.

Katherine shrugged. "Learning process."

"Fast learner," a voice said from the doorway. They all turned and Klaus was there, his expression nothing short of weary.

"One of my more marketable skills," she responded.

"Nik?" Henrik greeted with big, hopeful eyes. His big brother walked in, forcing a gentle smile as he picked him up off his chair and sat in it, sitting Henrik on his lap. Henrik settled in, contented, and picked up his sandwich to take a bite.

"How did it go?" Katherine inquired.

"As well as could be expected."

Caroline leaned her hand on the countertop, flipping the next sandwich onto a plate to bring it over. "What did she say?"

He pressed his lips together, nodding. "She's threatening to file a kidnapping charge."

"Seriously!?" Caroline gaped in disgust. "You're his legal guardian. He is right where he should be."

"Not according to her."

"According to the _law_." She set the plate in front of Katherine.

"And we all know how far above the law she is," Katherine remarked, picking up the first half to inspect it.

Henrik turned halfway, holding his already bitten grilled cheese up to Klaus' mouth with a playful grin. Klaus leaned his head back. "No, thank you."

"Iss yummy," he insisted with a mouth full.

Klaus laughed. "Eat your dinner, monkey."

"What if we get the jump on her?" Caroline suggested. Klaus' eyes narrowed with intrigue. "My mom could make a call to the station. She could alert - "

"No."

"Why _not_?!" she groaned. "She can't do anything but help your cause. Why are you so against this?"

"I said no, Caroline."

"So what, you're just going to give in?"

"What I'm going to do is wait for Elijah to get here. Until then, consider the situation at a standstill."

Caroline glanced to Katherine but she only raised her brows before dodging any and all eye contact. She went back to the stove and slammed the spatula down against the counter in frustration. Why did he have to be so stubborn?!

* * *

 **7:13 P.M.**

After their dinner of grilled cheeses and tension, they all retired to the living room. Waiting for Elijah was nerve-wracking, like being on the edge of a cliff on your tippy toes, body straining against the imminent plunge, but there's still a breath of air caught in your chest preventing the plummet. At least, that was how Caroline felt. Klaus and Katherine seemed to be fine, apart from their bouts of bickering which kept leading to her suspicious escape to the bathroom. Henrik was just glad to be watching his favorite show.

"Is the sponge you have in your sink the same as Spongebob?" he suddenly asked her.

"I don't think so. I think the sponges in the ocean look a little different."

"Then how come he looks like that? Did someone use him in the sink then throw him in the ocean?"

She giggled. "Maybe."

"Or maybe he got stuck down the drain."

"You know, that's very possible."

"This one time, in my other school, a boy named Joey made Spongebob Rice Krispies treats and they really looked like Spongebob," he marveled, his eyes wide, emphasizing.

"Mmm. I bet they were yummy."

His face scrunched up in a grimace. "No, it tasted like a cardboard box."

"And how exactly do you know what a cardboard box tastes like?" Klaus challenged. "Have you been eating them in secrecy?"

"No, silly. It's a metal fork."

Caroline's head turned. "A metal fork?"

Klaus laughed. "I think he means a metaphor."

"That's what I said. A metal fork."

"How do _you_ know what a metaphor is?" she asked.

"Nik teached me."

Her eyes flicked to his with a grin. "Oh he did, did he?"

Henrik nodded emphatically. "Elijah gived me a paper book that has one word for each day. And Nik teaches me them."

"So you _can_ be nice," Katherine taunted, reentering the room.

He leered. "To people I _like_."

Her hand went to her chest. "You mean you don't _like_ me? My life _is_ a lie."

His eyes rolled with a smirk. "They say acceptance is the first step to admitting your problems."

" _You_ aremy problem," she lamented, dropping back onto the couch.

"Wow, that was a record," Caroline commented playfully. "You two almost went ten minutes without an argument."

Before either of them could continue on, a knock at the door interrupted. Caroline excused herself to answer it, Elijah's long awaited presence thrilling her. She led him in and Katherine was up and casually slinking over to hug him.

"Hey, sight for sore eyes."

Elijah smiled as he held her. "You saw me this morning."

"Can you just take the compliment?"

He nuzzled her nose. "Never."

Klaus cleared his throat and Elijah looked up, readjusting his stance. "Hello all." His eyes flicked to the yawning five-year-old. "It's almost bed time, isn't it?"

"I'm not tired," Henrik objected.

Caroline caught on. "Henrik, why don't we go in the guest room and practice reading a little?"

He sat up, eyes alight. "Are we sleeping over?"

She laughed and held her hand out. "Maybe. Come on."

He jumped off the couch and ran to grab her hand, following her hastily out to the hallway and disappearing. Klaus sat forward, hanging his head which made Elijah glance to Katherine in worry.

"What have you heard?"

"Rebekah is with her," Klaus told him. "No word from Kol yet."

"She will not be able to physically keep them there," he assured him, walking nearer with Katherine in tow.

"It's not _her_ will that worries me."

"Rebekah spoke out of a mangled heart. You cannot confuse her words for her conscience."

He looked up. "Why shouldn't I? She wanted to stay, to rekindle her relationship with her mother. For all we know they could be conspiring."

"Listen to yourself when you speak." Elijah shook his head. "Rebekah's loyalty is to her family. Not an estranged murderer claiming the title of mother."

Klaus' jaw set. "She's threatening to go to the authorities."

"Let her." It was almost a laugh. "I dare her to try to go against me in a court of law."

"Your confidence is so sexy," Katherine teased, picking up her glass of wine – unfinished from dinner.

Elijah's eyes widened. "Katerina." He glanced at the glass raised mid-air. "You promised."

Klaus' brows dropped and it was that moment that Caroline returned. She let her arms flop in a shrug.

"He was out by the time I turned the page." She sat beside Klaus again, eyes shifting between the three of them before the awkward silence hit her. "...What did I miss?"

Katherine rolled her eyes and begrudgingly set her glass back down without sipping. "Nothing."

"Okay..." She frowned briefly but let it go and nudged Klaus lightly. "Did you tell him?" He nodded. Her gaze switched to Elijah. "She doesn't actually have any rights, does she?"

"Without the consent of my brothers and I, she cannot regain custody of Henrik unless a judge overturns the guardianship order."

"Like that'll stop her," Katherine said.

Caroline chewed her lip. "Can I ask, what happens if she takes this to court?"

"We fight like hell," Elijah told her. The tone of his voice could send shivers down the spine of any unsuspecting person.

Klaus agreed with a nod. "We fight either way."

"What about Rebekah and Kol?"

Elijah smiled, slightly. "Kol is free to do as he pleases. He's not a minor."

"I'd rather he stay with Rebekah," Klaus admitted.

"I agree. As long as she's there, we may be able to play Rebekah to our advantage."

"Our own personal mole." Klaus smiled, catching on while Elijah nodded to confirm. "Brilliant."

Caroline gaped at them in appall. "How can you use your own sister?"

"It's not using if she agrees to it," Klaus pointed out.

"It's merely a consensual exploitative transaction," Elijah added meekly.

"Seriously?"

Katherine shrugged. "What do you expect from a lawyer?"

Elijah smirked. "You said you liked it."

"I do." She flirted with her lashes.

"Then don't mock me."

"But it's so fun."

His eyes cut to hers but he licked his lower lip in a grin, shaking his head despite himself. Katherine arched her back with a small moan and sat up, resting her cheek against her palm.

"Not to be a Debbie Downer," she started, "but aren't we ignoring something?" Caroline's face was blank and the brothers averted eyes in avoidance so she added, "Or _someone_?"

Klaus tilted his head. "Truth be told, I've been wondering why I haven't heard from Finn."

"If he's quiet, he's plotting," she noted.

"No," Elijah disagreed. "Strategy has never been his strong point. He's more of a follower than a leader."

"You think your mom is pulling his strings," Caroline said.

"I think he's weighing his options. The conflict of interest could jeopardize his job." He frowned doubtfully. "Doesn't mean he won't deny his familial obligations."

"Do we worry about Finn?"

"I'll worry about him when he makes an appearance," Klaus decided. "Until then…"

"I can return home and gauge the situation," Elijah offered, finally resigning himself to half sit on the arm of the couch beside Katherine. "Mother will expect our alliance which means Finn might have already fallen prey to her manipulations."

Katherine put her hand on his arm. "Is that really a good idea, Elijah?"

He cupped her face gently. "I'll be fine, Katerina. You know I'll always come back to you."

Klaus cleared his throat. "I'd say to get a room..."

"Do you ever shut up?" She rolled her eyes and ignored his glare, resting her head against her fiancé's side.

The room fell silent. They were all lost in thoughts, most of them the same, one single thought being the most prevalent.

"What now?"

It was Caroline who'd asked, her voice soft with hesitance. Klaus hunched forward, lacing his fingers in the gap between his legs. "I have a hotel room booked just outside of town for Henrik and I. I planned on staying there until things were sorted."

"She can track your credit card statement," Katherine muttered.

"Which is why I paid in cash."

Caroline shook her head furiously. "That's ridiculous. You guys can stay here."

"I'd rather not impose that much on you."

"You wouldn't. And at least Henrik would feel more at ease here than in some unfamiliar hotel room."

"She has a point," Katherine agreed.

He stood up, shaking his head, distancing himself from her. "I can't ask you to put us up indefinitely."

"You don't have to. I'm offering. Besides, it'll be easier with school."

"I think, given the circumstances, his safety takes precedence to his education."

"Okay, I draw the line at trying to keep him out of school."

"It's what's best for - "

"No, it's not. Kids as young as Henrik are crazy impressionable. Everything little thing they see, everything they experience can have an impact."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"He needs some normalcy right now. He needs to keep going to school, following through with his day like nothing ever happened."

"She's right, Klaus." Elijah shook his head. "Uprooting him will only make matters worse."

Klaus' jaw clenched. "It's the first place she'll look for him."

"But it doesn't mean she can get to him," Caroline told him. "We can set up round the clock supervision. I'll talk to the faculty, explain a little about the situation." At his attempt to protest she held a hand up. "I'll tell them the bare minimum."

Elijah and Katherine exchanged a glance before he looked to Klaus. "What do you think?"

"I want to be there," he said finally.

Caroline frowned and Elijah spoke for her. "That would be counterproductive."

"If you really want to keep him safe and unaware of what's happening, you can't be in the classroom, Klaus." Seeing his distress, she went on, "He won't be out of my sight. I promise."

He sighed in frustration, pacing. "He won't be out of my sight, either." He finally stopped and faced them. "I'll keep watch from the street, ensuring she doesn't get as far as the curb should she be brazen enough to show her face."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "What're you gonna do, sit outside in your car all day?"

"If that's what it takes."

* * *

 **Tuesday 10:27 a.m. – Mystic Falls Elementary**

It had been three restless hours and so far Klaus' stakeout had produced nothing of consequence. Which was a good thing, except for the cramped space and rapid decline in his patience. Music grew tiresome and the three times the crossing guard tried to make small talk before she left only agitated him more. His attempts to contact Rebekah were futile and Kol was just as unresponsive. Either Esther had their devices, or they were scared.

A knock on his window jolted him out of his garbled apprehension and a new sense of paranoia settled in. He rolled it down, barely two inches, glaring at the intruding stranger. The man wouldn't look at him, instead scanning the surrounding area, notably anxious.

"It's against the law to stalk people," he told Klaus, their eyes meeting by fleeting chance amidst the darting.

Klaus narrowed his eyes skeptically. "And are you the pot or the kettle?"

The man finally turned his gaze on him fully. Hazel eyes, but the sunlight showed green flares of disdain. "She doesn't need to be involved with someone like you."

Klaus blinked and it took a moment to register who he was speaking to before he started to grin. "The cheating ex, I presume." Tyler looked away and Klaus leered. The differences between them were beyond physicality, despite the fact he looked like a neanderthal. "Lucky for me, your mistake was my gain."

"I'm telling you, if you don't leave her alone – "

"You'll what? Call the police?" He let the window roll down fully, leaning out with a darkening grin. "You realize being here violates the radius of her restraining order, don't you?" Tyler's eyes widened with fury. Klaus pouted his lips, feigning concern. "It'd be a shame if someone were to report it."

Tyler's lips wavered like he wanted to say something more but he huffed an exasperated sigh and took off without a word. Klaus grinned in satisfaction and looked back at the window at the object of their shared affections, watching her walk around the tables instructing the children and overlooking their work.

She stopped by Henrik's seat and smiled down at his work. He looked up and said something and she laughed, nodding then sparing a quick glimpse at the window, catching his eye. Their contact was brief but even from his distance he could see her lips turn – a secret smile just for him, then she was back to teaching. It was easy to understand why Tyler couldn't let go.

He was starting to relax a little when his buzzing phone alerted him to a message. He sat up eagerly, bumping his knee on the steering wheel with a wince. _Finally_.

 **KOL:** Where's Henrik?  
 **KLAUS:** Nice of you to respond.  
 **KOL:** We've only just got a minute alone.

On cue, his phone sounded off with more alerts, Rebekah's name attached to them. He ignored them for now.

 **KOL:** Is Henrik with you?  
 **KLAUS:** Where are you?  
 **KOL:** Home. Where is he?  
 **KLAUS:** I'm with him.  
 **KOL:** Where?

He stared at the words, his nerves creeping up in paranoia. The adamancy was out of character for the ne'er-do-well.

 **KLAUS:** He's safe.  
 **KOL:** He'd better be.  
 **KOL:** She's headed to his school.

His heart skipped a beat and his breath was caught in his throat. He quickly got out of the car and rounded it to make for the entrance when he saw her walking up from the opposite side. There they were, face to face from a few feet away and only one turn away from the mutually desired path.

"You've seen better days," she told him. His stare hardened and her mouth lifted on one side in a small smile. "It's good to see you, Niklaus."

"Can't say I share in your sentiment."

"Always such an angry boy." She shook her head. "It's certainly not something you inherited from me."

He stepped forward, threateningly. "It's time for you to leave."

"No." She stood her ground. "It's time for me to be reunited with my son."

"What makes you think Henrik wants _anything_ to do with you?"

"Yes, I'm sure you've got him brainwashed to think the worst of me. Still. I _am_ his mother."

"Are you? You've never once cared for him. You've never asked him about his day. Nursed him through a cold. Allayed his fears. Do you even know what he's afraid of?" He raised a challenging brow. "What foods he detests? Why his favorite color is blue? Do you know anything about the person you call your son or is this just another one of Esther Mikaelson's attempts at damage control? Put on a good face, play the loving mother in the limelight so you might win some sympathy votes to put you back in the good graces of society."

"I've been in _prison_ ," she spat.

"And whose fault is that?" She raised a hand to slap him but he caught her wrist, squeezing hard. "Turn around and leave or you won't like what happens next."

Her nostrils flared, teeth gritted as she hissed, "Don't you threaten me." She ripped her arm from his grasp. "I brought you into this world."

"And you'll erase me from it just the same?" He smiled sinisterly. "Go right ahead, mother. The judge won't grant custody to a convicted murderer."

"You think you're somehow better than I am? I may have been convicted but I'm not the murderer in this family. You can pretend all you want, but it will follow you." She braved a step forward and his fists clenched, palms itching with rage. "You drove that poor girl to her own dea – " She was cut off in a gasp when he grabbed her shoulders, nearly lifting her off the ground in a firm shake.

"Don't you mention her!" he thundered, his voice thickened with pain.

As if on cue, police sirens sounded, the patrol car speeding up from down the street. Klaus' eyes widened in panic. Esther only smiled, her eyes sliding towards the sound of their approach.

"What did you do?"

"You did this to yourself." His panic was the opportunity she needed to shove out of his hold.

Klaus swallowed, frozen in his spot unsure of what to do or what to say. If he ran there'd be a pursuit. If he stayed, he wasn't sure what the outcome would be.

The car pulled up to the curb, a few feet away from them, the doors opening to usher two officers out. They walked up casually, the one on the right keeping his hand at his holster and eyeing Klaus warily.

"Everything okay here, ma'am?"

Inside, Caroline stopped mid-sentence catching sight of the flashing lights and the police officers near Klaus. The majority of her students, Henrik included, looked up at her curiously and then to the window, seeing what she saw. One cop was arguing with him while the other talked to Esther. Whatever she'd just said made Klaus lunge and the officer started to seize him.

"Oh no," Caroline whispered to herself. Henrik jumped up at once, knocking his chair over as he ran to the door. "Henrik!" The door swung and his speeding feet echoed in the hall. She panicked, glimpsing the blank faces of her students, the police putting cuffs on Klaus, and hearing someone yelling after Henrik in the hall. "Nobody move," she instructed, making a dash for the door. "Stay in your seats!"

She hurried out but she could hear Henrik already at the entrance. She rounded the bend in time to hear him shout his brother's name before the doors cut her off.

Klaus' head turned sharply, eyes widening. "Henrik, go back inside!"

Caroline ran, almost slipping on the glossed tile and grabbing the door handle for support before pushing it open. "Henrik!" she called after him, hanging onto the door as he ran down the steps.

"No!" he cried, making a run for it before Caroline rushed after. "Nik! Don't go!"

He ran down the path, Caroline pushing as fast as she could after him and finally catching his shoulder to pull him back. "Henrik, don't," she pleaded breathlessly, fighting to hold him back by both arms. Klaus looked back, his expression filled with anguish.

Henrik wrestled her grasp, tears streaming down his face. "Let – me – _go_!"

Her heart ached as she fought his thrashing to pull him against her, crouching down to his level. "It's okay," she told him, wrapping her arms around him from behind to keep him in place. "It's okay. It's okay."

Everything was blurred by her own glistening eyes, but together they watched Klaus being led to the car and ducked into it, Esther eyeballing them from where she stood all the while giving the officer her statement. Henrik was silent but his breaths were heavy gasps, enough to heave his shoulders. When the door of the patrol car slammed closed, locking Klaus in, he turned and threw himself into her arms and sobbed. She held his head against her chest, stroking his hair in comfort as she watched the patrol car drive off. Her heart strained against her chest and she hugged Henrik tightly, kissing the top of his head as she whispered consolations over and over.

When she finally looked up again it was to give Esther the most hateful glare of her life.


	11. Chapter 11

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 **charmedfreak3b** \- Did she, though?

 **Guest** \- I freaking LOVE you, by the way, for that epic review of amazing proportions! I want to say that Katherine's behaviors right now are very...calculated. I definitely need to do more Elijah/Henrik. Haven't done that yet, and you're right. It's needed. And you're right. Tyler isn't going anywhere yet. I'm so happy you're loving this!

 **Guest 2** \- Eventual fluff is coming, I swear. I just had to get some drama out of the way first. Forgive me?

 **JuseaPeterson** \- Awww well I am honored to have been a segue back into it! Having Elijah on your side is always a good thing.

 **TwilightHybrid** \- I think you might be onto something there with Esther and Henrik.

 **AllisonSwan** \- Thank you!

 _Thank you my lovely darlings for reading and leaving me such beautiful reviews! And of course for following and favoriting. You all rock._

 _How is everyone holding up? I know we got served the ultimate in crappy finales and it's been hard getting over it, but we're all in it together. For the record, I do plan on continuing to finish the fics I've already started so don't worry, even death cannot stop true love. Or me writing my fics. That said, this may not be the most effective chapter to cheer people up lol_ _Don't worry, no one is dying. And there's oodles of cuteness. I'm just on an angst bender. It's almost over, I swear!_

 _Also, I want it to be known, I've been doing a lot in terms of legal research and discussion with my soon-to-be lawyer friend in order to maintain a level of authenticity. On that note, I do retain the right to_ some _fictional liberties. Hope ya don't hold it against me! Happy reading!_

* * *

PART 11

Caroline and Henrik waited in the office until the school could decide what to do in the current predicament. She had called Elijah right away to let him know their situation. He said he'd leave work immediately and go to the station to sort things out, but it left Henrik in a guardian-less position. With Kol and Rebekah unreachable and Finn's compromising character, she appealed to the vice principal to allow her to take him home and look after him. It took some convincing, another call to Elijah, and pulling some serious strings to find a substitute on such short notice, but in the end her powers of persuasion won out. Especially since Henrik refused to leave her side. Together they drove in silence back to her apartment, both shaken and unsure of what the future now held.

She brought him inside and he followed her into the kitchen where she asked if he was hungry but he shook his head. She tried to coax him with hot cocoa but he said nothing. His eyes were as hollow as she felt and so, eventually, she retired with him to the living room where they watched television wordlessly.

A few hours later, a knock on the door signaled her attention. She told him she'd be right back but he remained mute. Katherine looked as soft as she ever had when she opened the door.

"Hey."

"Hey." Caroline smiled politely in greeting but it didn't go past her lips. She stepped aside to let her in.

Katherine entered, spying the five-year-old on the couch, immobile. She frowned. "How is he?"

She sighed. "He's pretty shaken up. He won't say a word."

Katherine shook her head, eyes narrowing in anger. "Here I thought she couldn't stoop any lower."

"Have you heard anything from Elijah?"

"Not yet. Whatever she said to them must have really made a ruckus."

"She lied." Caroline shrank back from Katherine's surprise. "I mean...she had to have, right? She has nothing on him. _And_ she's an ex-con."

"She's also a resourceful bitch. She's brought down a lot of big names, and helped clear others that should have rotted under the ground they stood."

"What do you mean?"

"Klaus didn't tell you? She's a public relations guru. How do you think she met their father?" Caroline blinked, the new information dumbfounding her. "They worked for this big Fortune 500 where they rose to the top together, with no regard for who they had to crush to get there."

"So she knows how to play the crowds," she lamented aloud.

"The crowds. The press. The _law_."

"You don't think she's innocent either."

She snorted. "She's tried to break me and Elijah up more times than I can count. Why would I trust a word she says?"

"Why? What did she have against you and Elijah?"

"I was fourteen when I met him, fifteen when we started dating, and sixteen when he finally brought me home. His parents took one look at me and that was it." She shrugged, crossing her arms in more of a protective gesture. "I admit, I wasn't the most conservative teenager. Cropped tops. Ripped jeans. Maybe a little too much makeup. Of course Mommy and daddy couldn't let their precious son be seen with a low-class whore. Their words, not mine."

"Seriously? They said that?"

"Yup."

"But you were just a kid."

"A kid who lived on the poor side of town. We may not have had much, but we survived." She paused then, giving her a quick little once over with a smirk. "Esther would have loved _you_."

Caroline shuddered at the thought and the conversation was decidedly over when Katherine wandered toward the living room. Caroline followed, hopeful.

"Hey, Henrik... Look who came by."

Katherine smiled gently. "Hey there, smartypants."

He made no motion to greet her, his eyes staring at the TV screen blankly but not really watching.

"Henrik..." Caroline sat down beside him tentatively. "I know you're scared for your brother."

Again, nothing, except for the few quick blinks of acknowledgement.

"Elijah will bring him home," Katherine reassured him. "Eventually."

Caroline looked up and rolled her eyes at Katherine, giving her a look and mouthing _"Seriously?"_ Katherine chewed her lower lip apologetically. Her shoulders dropped with a soft sigh.

"You can talk to us, you know," she continued. "About anything. What you're feeling..."

But it was useless. He wouldn't budge, even a little. She glanced to Katherine worriedly and the brunette shrugged, at a loss. Henrik suddenly heaved a heavy sigh but remained fixated on the cartoon dogs running amok on the screen. Caroline frowned, her heart aching for him. She lifted her hand to take his in comfort but he pulled his into his lap before she could even put hers down. In the end, she decided to let him be, hoping, _praying_ that Elijah would find a way to get Klaus released tonight and bring him home.

* * *

Afternoon quickly became evening and there was no hope in sight. Elijah never answered Katherine and any efforts to try to contact Kol or Rebekah remained futile. Finn was the only option but Katherine refused and there was a brief argument when she stole Caroline's phone to keep her from making the obvious mistake. The quarrel was forsaken when Henrik walked into the kitchen, catching them both off guard. He still wouldn't speak but Caroline managed to get him to nod his head to eat a little dinner.

Hunger overtook all of them, and by the time they were finishing up, there was a knock at the door that put them all on alert. Katherine insisted and excused herself to answer it, in case it was for the worse. Caroline's heart was pounding but she forced herself to stay with Henrik and wait. Moments later Katherine was back and Elijah was walking in behind her. Thump. Thump. Thump, went her chest. She strained to see past the two of them, hoping. The moment that Henrik turned his head Elijah moved just an inch and the weary, ashamed silhouette behind him became Klaus.

"Nik!"

Henrik jumped off the chair with no regard for its crash to the ground and ran to his older brother. Klaus dropped to his knees instantly and wrapped him in a tight hug, eyes squeezed shut and reveling in relief to be holding him again. Caroline swallowed hard against the lump that was forming in her throat, her relief washing over her in an icy hot tremor.

"I'm so sorry, Henrik," he said, muffled against his hair.

"You leaved me," Henrik murmured, his little fingernails clutching at his back.

"I didn't want to." He finally let his hold loosen so he could look the five-year-old in the eye but his hands remained holding his shoulders. "They forced me to go with them." Henrik pulled on the hem of Klaus' shirt, hanging his head down. "I won't let them do that again. I promise."

"How?"

"Well, I'll tell them. I can't go with you, officer. I made a promise to a monkey." It won a smile from him that he fought with all his might to try to contain. He brushed his hair from his face, looking him in the eye. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Henrik raised both of his tiny hands to hold his brother's face between them. He looked at him a long time, as though he was searching his eyes for an answer, and then he nodded, throwing his arms around his neck and locking tight. Klaus hugged him again, picking him up to hold him as he rose to his feet. His eyes went to Caroline's then, who had been watching with a heartfelt smile.

"Thank you," he said, and though his face was solemn, his words were sincere.

"Of course."

Henrik's legs locked around his waist as far as they could reach and he hugged his baby brother tighter in comfort. "My apologies for putting you all through this."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Caroline told him.

"She knew what she was doing," Katherine agreed.

"I just can't believe she would set you up like that."

He shook his head as he sat at the table with Henrik. "She didn't."

"An anonymous tip claimed that there was an incident of stalking in front of the Mystic Elementary school," Elijah told them. "After some persuasion, I was able to learn that it was a Tyler Lockwood who made the call."

Caroline stiffened, her heart rate tripling at the mention of his name. She glanced to Klaus and found her reaction didn't go unnoticed.

"The police were already on their way to investigate when our mother appeared," Elijah finished.

"And of course she manipulated the situation." Katherine shook her head. "Clever bitch."

"Katerina."

"Sorry."

"The outcome was inevitable," he said. "She was there to antagonize."

"She succeeded," Klaus grumbled.

"She's not the reason the police took you away, Niklaus." The three of them gaped at him but his resolve was stern. "You had a choice in the way you reacted."

His eyes were huge, enraged. " _She_ instigated! She brought up – " He gritted his teeth and huffed through his nose, lowering his gaze. "She mentioned things she knew would infuriate me."

"In front of Henrik's school. Where Henrik could see you. Along with several other witnesses. Our mother does not act without cause. How do you think this will look if she manages to bring the case to a courtroom?"

"Can we..." Caroline winced. "Maybe not talk about this right now? You know, with..." She cast her gaze towards Henrik.

"I'll take him," Katherine offered, starting to reach.

"No!" Henrik whined, clinging to Klaus.

"It's all right," Klaus soothed him, rubbing his back in a circle. "I'm not letting go."

Katherine glanced to Elijah coolly. "Told you. Kids have an aversion to me."

"Not now," he said quietly.

"It's been a long day. Why don't we take a little rest, monkey?" Klaus suggested, looking briefly to Caroline. "If that's all right."

She smiled feebly in approval and he rose to carry the sleepy five-year-old out of the kitchen and down the hall.

. . . . .

The small guest room seemed bigger than he remembered. Then again, he'd just spent the last few hours in a holding cell, waiting for Elijah to talk his way to freedom. He couldn't get the images out of his mind the whole time – Henrik's tears and Caroline's terror. Elijah was right. If he'd only acted rationally, if he'd contained himself just a little, perhaps things might have gone differently. Perhaps he wouldn't have hurt them, despite always having a penchant for it. He wanted to blame Tyler for calling the police; Esther for hitting on sore nerves; the police for believing her lies; but it was none of them that had reacted physically. Just as it wasn't Tatia that had incited the argument that led to her death.

His heart was heavy, conscience even heavier, and his mind was going haywire with shame. He sat on the bed and tried to push it all away.

He had turned the blankets down, and when Henrik had returned from the bathroom in the borrowed shirt of Caroline's, he climbed right up into his designated spot. Once settled, his curious eyes studied his older brother's face.

"Are you in trouble, Nik?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about, monkey."

"Why did the police take you away?"

He sighed, knowing the relentless nature of the five-year-old. "Because a very mean person told them I did something that I didn't do."

"And they believed the meanie?"

"They were very convincing."

"But they lied. How come the police didn't take them away too?"

"I don't know. But do you want to know what I _do_ know?" He tapped his nose. "It's your bed time. So no more questions. Close your eyes and dream. No more worries."

"Are you gonna stay?"

"I'll be right here when you wake up."

He sat up then, kicking the covers off so he could stand on the bed and give his brother a loving hug. Klaus smiled and wrapped his arms around him, groaning loudly.

"Time for bed for all wild things!" he grumbled in Henrik's favorite monster voice.

The boy giggled as Klaus scooped him up and laid him back in place, tucking the covers around him once again. He smoothed the blankets and nodded affirmatively as he lay beside him. Henrik turned on his side and smiled at him.

"I love you, Nik."

"I love you too, Henrik." He leaned over and kissed his temple, then whispered, "Dream of Neverland."

. . . . .

Out in the kitchen, the room fell silent and curiosity was killing the Katherine.

"So what happened?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss," Elijah evaded, his quick glance in Caroline's direction not unseen.

"Oh come on, Elijah." Katherine rolled her eyes. "She's already involved. You don't have to skirt around us."

"It's not my place." His phone buzzed, interrupting them. He pulled it from his inner jacket pocket and frowned at the screen. "Excuse me."

"Spoilsport."

Caroline stared after him in deep thought, also eager to know the truth, but something else was gnawing at her mind. She excused herself from the kitchen without a word, heading into the hallway to confront the concern.

The door to the guest room was open enough to peek her head in. Henrik was fast asleep on Klaus' chest, but the latter lay staring at the ceiling in intense concentration. She rapped at the door lightly with her fingernail and his head turned. She offered a tiny, questioning smile to which he maneuvered his way carefully out of the bed and met with her in the hallway, closing the door fully behind him. He heaved a sigh before starting, the melancholy still in his eyes.

"I can't begin to apologize enough for what I caused."

"It's okay. It's not you I'm upset with." She crossed her arms. "You didn't tell me he was there."

"I was a bit preoccupied with being arrested."

"You could have given me a heads up. He left before she got there." He said nothing, his tired eyes beckoned her mercy. "So...what did he say?"

"He told me to keep my distance, in more or less words."

"While _he_ was the one breaking radius." She scoffed in disgust. "Typical Tyler."

"I take it he's done this before?"

"He doesn't know when to back off. Even after I tell him to."

"He seemed very adamant about our involvement."

Her eyes flickered with worry. "What do you mean?"

"Why don't you tell me, Caroline?"

"I told you, he keeps tabs."

"On you. You didn't say he kept tabs on me, as well."

She pressed her lips together hesitantly before letting her breath out and shaking her head, turning slightly away from him to hide her guilt. "He looked at your parents' files and tried to warn me to stay away from you, but that's not his call to make."

"So he knows our family's history." He began walking back up the hall towards the living room, Caroline keeping pace.

"He knows you on paper. And...it's not like I even care what he thinks or what he had to say. Everything he does is driven by his own jealousy, which is totally insane considering he's got a wife and kid of his own! Yet he _still_ has to butt into _my_ life every chance he gets!"

"Maybe he's right."

She stopped so abruptly it made him turn. "Oh no. Don't you _dare_ try to turn this into an out for yourself."

"There's more to this than you know, Caroline. More than I want you to know about."

"No," she insisted, meeting his eyes with determination. "I have let him drive away too many people. I'm not letting him do it again."

"If it's in your best interest, maybe you should consider it."

"Consider Tyler? Are you serious?" He raised his eyebrows in refute. She blinked away her ridicule and stepped forward. "Are you using Tyler as an excuse," her voice softened and she reached up to caress his face, "or do you actually want this to end?"

He searched her eyes and while his mind was an erratic fleet of racing indecision, his heart was firm. Her thumb stroked his cheek and he let out the breath he'd been holding.

"No." Her body eased and he pulled her against him in a hug, stroking her hair. His defenses shattered and everything he'd been through that day dissipated. "I don't want this to end."

"Me either." She turned her head and rested it against his chest, listening to his heart find its pace. "I'll talk to him. Make sure he leaves us alone from now on."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I can handle Tyler."

"What if his little stunt was to garner your attention?" She blinked, the thought never having occurred to her. "Perhaps it's best you leave well enough alone when it comes to him. He's already brought the police into this once."

He was right.

The sound of Elijah's raised voice suddenly interrupted their moment. Katherine's voice chimed in just as loudly soon after. Caroline lifted her head from his chest and they shared a concerned glance.

"That doesn't sound good," she said.

They followed the sound of arguing down the hall and it grew louder as they neared.

"It's the TRUTH!" Katherine's voice came loudly.

"Keep – your voice down, Katerina," Elijah warned.

" _You_ were the one that wanted this, Elijah. Not me."

"We agreed on it together. You're letting your fears get the better of you."

"No, I'm letting _you_ get the better of me," she snapped.

"What's this?" Klaus asked as they approached. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Not now, Niklaus."

"I'm going home," she declared, snatching up her purse from the coffee table and making a beeline for the door.

Elijah hurried after her worriedly. "Katerina, please."

She turned around, pointing in his face, nearly taking an eye out. "Do _not_ follow me."

He watched in distress as she swung the door open and let it slam behind her. Klaus and Caroline were bemused.

"What was that about?" Klaus ventured.

Elijah squeezed the rim of his nose before turning around. "A difference of opinions."

"You're itching to go after her, aren't you?"

"I'm fighting it with every fiber of my being."

"Why don't you?" Caroline asked.

"He'd face an even bigger wrath," Klaus told her, tiredly lowering himself onto the couch. "Hell hath no fury like Katerina Petrova."

"Your comments are not warranted, nor are they appreciated."

"Okay, down boys," she mediated, coming between them physically as she sat too. Elijah stayed on his feet, his nerves making him idly pace.

"My apologies, Miss Forbes. It's been a very trying day."

"It has," she agreed, lacing her fingers through Klaus. "For all of us."

Elijah's index finger dragged across his chin, though he didn't dare to look at Klaus. "Have you heard from any of our siblings?"

"I received a text message from Kol. He tried to warn me about Esther."

"Rebekah?"

He nodded. "They managed to escape in Esther's absence."

Elijah turned to face him now. "Where are they now?"

"She didn't say."

"That's probably for the best."

"They'll turn up one way or the other."

Elijah nodded. "When the timing is convenient."

"Did you ever get to talk to Finn?" Caroline asked suddenly. She frowned, almost pained. "I kept going back and forth all day trying to decide if I should have called him..."

"You did the right thing," Klaus assured her, squeezing her hand. "He's likely too far gone."

But Elijah shook his head. "He has his wits about him," he told them, "but he _is_ still desperate to seek Esther's approval. When we spoke, he insisted I make more of an effort to reason with you for the return of Henrik."

Klaus blanched. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him he was welcome to try for himself, though to be cautious considering your history of ignoring rhyme or reason."

There was a sinister smile shared between them, a brotherly moment of mischievous reminiscence that made her wonder if she should be bothered. She'd figure it out another day.

"So what do we do now?" she asked instead.

"Hard to say." Elijah began to pace again. "She won't want to make another appearance anytime soon. She'll lay low, for now, but we need to take the obvious precautions until we find can figure out her next move."

"And get one step ahead of it," Klaus added.

Caroline sat up, suddenly. "You can." She looked between their dubious expressions, eagerly. "You guys built that mansion and moved here while she was in prison. Her name isn't on the lease so you can file a trespassing complaint. It makes _her_ look bad and if she tries to come back it's an automatic class one misdemeanor. Which means jail time and a serious fine. Like, almost two-thousand dollars."

Klaus was amused. "Brushing up on your state laws, love?"

She waved a hand at him dismissively, trying not to blush. "Never mind how I know. You guys can get your home back and it will totally throw her off her game."

Elijah switched his contemplative peer to his brother. Klaus leaned forward, hesitant. "Could it work?"

"I would have to take a second glance at the lease," Elijah said, "but I do believe there is a mention made that forbids Esther and/or Mikael from stepping foot on our property."

Caroline beamed. "Then it's already a crime."

* * *

 **Mystic Falls Town Hall - parking lot - 4:45 P.M.**

With hope on the horizon, and a plan set in motion, the following day went by peacefully. Elijah left shortly after their plotting but decided to pursue Katherine rather than return home to Esther and Finn. Klaus stayed behind, keeping his promise to be there when Henrik awoke to take him to school with Caroline. There was a brief tiff when Henrik refused to go, wanting to stay glued to Klaus' side. In the end, they managed to convince him and she made Klaus swear to be on time to pick him up this time, in case Finn decided to make good on his threat to keep him from ever picking him up again. Or worse.

When all was said and done, the school day began and Klaus and Elijah initiated their scheme. Esther was detained by lunch time. They would deal with Finn when he got home, but kept Kol and Rebekah out of the loop until they were sure of their eldest brother's intentions. He picked up Henrik on time, as planned, and promised her a phone call later that night once they'd spoken with Finn. She was fine with that. She needed the break. She had issues of her own that needed to be dealt with.

Almost two hours later, she was still sitting at the café outside of Town Hall, waiting for a certain defense attorney to finish his work day. As the clock approached five, she finished her latté and got up, heading for the direction of the parking lot. His black luxury car was in his designated spot, just shy of the curb. She saw him walk down the steps of the building and hastened to make sure she could cut him off on the sidewalk.

"Tyler!"

He looked up from his phone and slowed to a stop, stunned to see her there. As she got nearer she noticed the trace of fear in his eyes. _Good._

"Before you say anything – "

"You have _no_ right to be messing with my life. Or the people in it."

He put his phone away and smoothed his suit jacket, standing tall. "I'm not gonna apologize when I did nothing wrong. He was the one stalking you."

"He wasn't _stalking_ me! God, if you gave a crap about someone other than yourself for a minute you would see that!"

"I saw him outside the school watching you from his car. What was I _supposed_ to think!?"

"Supposed?" She scoffed a laugh. "You were _supposed_ to not be anywhere near the school. Or did you forget about the restraining order?"

"I was looking out for you."

"Newsflash – I don't need you to look out for me."

"Look, whatever I did to hurt you – "

"You cheated on me!"

"- doesn't mean I don't still care about you."

"Tell it to your wife, Tyler." She turned to make an exit when his hand caught her wrist.

"I'm not done with you," he demanded, turning her back around almost bumping into him. She gaped up at him, eyes widened with fear. She swallowed it back and pushed away from him, glaring when he wouldn't let go.

"You were done with me a long time ago. And now, I'm done with _you._ " She broke out of his hold and tried to storm away. She stepped down off the sidewalk and made it only a few feet past his car. This time he grabbed her upper arm and pulled again, seizing the other one so she was facing him. She gasped when he tugged her against him, his eyes searing into hers. Her heart began to pound, the familiar feeling choking her with terror.

"Tyler, let go of me," she pleaded.

"Why do you always have to be so damn difficult?" His hold tightened even more and she could feel her pulse throbbing against his fingertips in pain.

"You called the cops and caused a scene for no reason," she reminded him, wincing as she tried to fight his grip. "Which traumatized a five-year-old, by the way."

"I called the cops on a criminal," he argued.

"He's not the criminal, _you_ are _._ " She stomped on his foot as hard as she could and he shouted in pain, one hand loosening so she could push away but he still had hold of her other arm.

"Fine!" he growled. He jerked her forward sharply then let go so she stumbled back and lost her footing, hitting the ground hard, landing on her side, enough time for her elbow to catch the brunt but not to keep her head from bouncing off the pavement. Stars blinded her and the world whirred in dizzy spurts. She blinked through her disorientation trying to place him but all she saw were feet walking away from her. Somewhere in the distance she heard a car door slam and an engine revving. When she came to, Tyler's car was gone.

* * *

 **Caroline's Apartment - 8:29 P.M.**

Worry was something that Klaus had grown accustomed to ever since he was a child. He worried over what his father might do to him, or how his mother might perceive his actions, or what his siblings might face if he hadn't taken the rap for them. With the tragedy of events that followed over the years, his worry became increased. He worried over Henrik the most, and he worried less and less about his own mental status. And when Caroline wouldn't answer his several calls and text messages that night, his worry knew no bounds.

He could wait her out, see what excuse she claimed in the morning when he saw her to drop his brother off, but waiting was never his strong suit. And she had never made him wait before. It was especially infuriating tonight, especially when he was at her door, knocking and receiving no response. It had been five minutes. He waited a minute longer before raising his hand to knock again when, at last, the door tentatively opened. He was prepared to unload but when he saw her, he couldn't speak. Her eyes were averted and she hid herself halfway behind the door. It wasn't open enough for him to walk in, but enough for him to see what he needed.

Her eyes were puffy and red, traces of black from residual makeup making them more sunken in than they were. More unnerving was the open gash at the corner of her forehead, still bright red with blood and glistening from the antiseptic she'd put over it. An accident, he was hoping, but the dread in the pit of his stomach expected otherwise.

She meekly looked up, a fleeting glance, before stepping back to let him in. There were no words, the unspoken questions lingering in the air, suffocated by tension. He walked in slowly, almost afraid to turn around and see what else she'd been hiding.

She closed the door, her back to him, and he glimpsed the finger printed bruises on the backs of both arms, the wide scrape along her elbow that looked like porous patchwork amidst the purple and black skin. His heart clenched and behind it his rage was bubbling.

"What happened?" he demanded.

Caroline turned around, leaning against the door and hugging herself. Bloody hell, she was still shaking. Her head hung in shame and he wanted nothing more than to wish away her suffering, to tell her she had no reason to feel at fault. She said nothing, antagonizing his anger even more.

"Who did this, Caroline?"

She took a deep, shaky breath, and without looking at him said, "You should sit."

He didn't want to, but he did as she said. It took a few beats for her to muster her courage to walk over and sit beside him, but she still avoided eye contact. His never left her face, never stopped worrying over her wounds in his peripherals.

"I didn't tell you everything about my relationship with Tyler," she confessed.

His eyes flew wide. He swallowed back his fury. "You went to see him."

She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry." Her voice was thickening, and she still wouldn't meet his eyes. "I just wanted him to leave us alone."

His mind raced and adrenaline rushed through him right down to his fingertips. He could feel the cool numbing of his body as rage began to flourish. He fought it back and focused on her in its stead. He turned her head, fingertip lifting her chin, his thumb grazing her cheek in a comforting reassurance. His expression was adamant but his voice stayed soft.

"This is not your fault," he told her, and just that simple acknowledgement was enough to break the gates open. She fell into his arms and sobbed against his chest, soaking his shirt clutching him for dear life. He stroked her hair, holding her all night, all the while plotting his revenge.


	12. Chapter 12

_._

 _Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being such amazing readers and leaving the best reviews ever. I know its gotten harder with updates coming slower right now, but I truly appreciate your patience and support as I dodge some of life's curveballs. You all left such wonderful reviews in the last chapter, my heart is lifted! That said, I want to give a special shoutout to guest user "C" for the amazing plethora of reviews and staying up past 2AM to read this!_

* * *

So a little note before I let you guys run amok. I originally wanted the beginning segment of this chapter to be included somewhere in the _last_ chapter, but when all was said and done with PART 11, I couldn't find a place for it and I felt like if I forced it, it would take away from the impact of what happened with Caroline and the way Klaus responded. That said, I didn't want to totally exclude it because it is kind of integral. I just hope its positioning here – like a quick step back to last night before moving forward to _today_ – doesn't entirely throw things off.

This one's a little Mikaelson heavy, but the Klaroline should be making a comeback in the next chapter. ;)

* * *

PART 12

 **Prior that evening – Mikaelson Residence – 5:37 p.m.**

Home, as they say, is where the hearth is. And where the heart finds its comfort. For the past three years, "home" had just been a residence, so when his siblings chose to take a stand this time, Klaus should have been more prepared. His clouded judgement had a lot to answer for. Most of what had happened could have been prevented had he stayed put with Henrik, and with his family, instead of running like the coward that he was.

The first step was accepting the inevitable confrontation that was about to ensue upon Finn's return from his work day.

The eldest Mikaelson did a double take on his way down the hall, nearly missing the sight of his three brothers waiting in the Great Room. Henrik was kneeling on the floor in front of them, hovering over the coffee table as he pondered the pictures inside the copy of _The Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm_. Elijah and Klaus were less oblivious. The loud echoing boom that Finn's briefcase made when he dropped it didn't startle them, but Henrik looked up, gaping. He sat back on his heels slowly as Finn walked down the two steps into the room and stopped, standing stoically. His gaze passed over each of them, resting on Henrik's doe eyes.

"I'm glad to see you've talked some sense into our brother, Elijah," he said, finally relieving the five-year-old from his penetrating stare.

Klaus started to rise but Elijah grabbed his wrist to halt him, standing up in his stead. "Henrik, why don't you take that up to your room?"

Henrik crawled over to Klaus, hugging his brother's calves. "I wanna stay with Nik," he said quietly.

Klaus' eyes dropped briefly to the five-year-old appendage. He petted his head as his attention re-fixated on Finn heatedly as he spoke. "Everything's fine, monkey. Go upstairs."

The five year old reluctantly released his hold and clambered to his feet, picking up and clutching the heavy book to his chest as he trudged past them all and exited the room. Finn's eyes narrowed tiredly.

"I wish you would stop referring to him as an animal. He's a child."

"I'll stop when he tells me to stop."

"You may have noticed we removed Esther from our household," Elijah interjected before the tension levels could get any higher. "Permanently," he added. "The police have been notified and if she steps foot on our property again, she will find herself behind bars once more."

Finn let out a little huff, eyeing him narrowly. "You're no better than he is, Elijah."

"She held Rebekah and Kol prisoner in their own home. Would you subject Henrik to the same fate?"

"They were never her prisoners. They could have come and gone as they pleased."

"You and I both know that isn't true," Klaus argued.

"You have no grounds to stand on, Niklaus. You _kidnapped_ our brother."

"I was protecting him. The same cannot be said of you."

"Protecting him? By keeping him away from his home? Away from his family?"

"He was _with_ his family!" He rose to his feet in anger. "You were the one playing house with a murderer!"

"Again with the accusations."

"Did you or did you not invite our mother into our home?"

" _Yes_. She had nowhere else to stay. I was being a good son."

"And a traitorous brother."

"Do you honestly think I would have allowed her here if I thought she would put any of us in harm's way?" He shook his head. "Your relationship with her may be marred but that doesn't mean it has to extend to the rest of us."

"Oh but it does."

"Try to see things from his point of view, Finn," Elijah pleaded.

"And what point of view is that? He hasn't had the capacity to think clearly since Tatia's passing."

Klaus started towards him and Elijah held him back with an outstretched arm. "Weaponizing the pains of the past is our mother's specialty." He glared at Finn in disappointment. "I expected better from _you_."

"Don't play innocent, Elijah. You knew what he was doing, where he was keeping him. You're just as guilty as he is."

"You want to talk guilt?" Klaus threatened, Elijah's arm thrusting harder to keep him restrained. "Why do you put your faith in a woman who you _know_ has done unimaginable things?"

"What I _know_ is that no child should grow up without their mother."

"Oh, I don't know. I think we turned out fairly well." Finn gave him a flat look.

Elijah finally lowered his arm with a sigh. "The point remains. For better or worse, we are all Henrik's legal guardians. Regardless of our beliefs, it is our responsibility to have Henrik's best interest at heart. Arguing with one another completely defeats that purpose."

Finn succumbed with a nod. "You're right. Hard as it may be for you to understand, I do not want a war. I just want our family whole and at peace."

Klaus scoffed. "We already were whole. And we _had_ peace until you let her in."

"She went after Niklaus yesterday," Elijah told him. "In front of Henrik's school, where Henrik could witness." At last there was some surprise, even regret. "The police were involved. Henrik had to watch as his brother was taken away in handcuffs because of our mother's instigation."

Finn swallowed, his eyes shifting to Klaus who looked away in shame. "Why wasn't I called?"

"The incident was traumatizing enough. Since Henrik had put his faith wholly into his teacher for the time being, I permitted her to look after him," Elijah explained. "We thought it best to expedite the process of Klaus' release rather than be delayed with a potentially negative interference."

He laughed bitterly. "You thought? Meaning the two of you?" He gestured between them. "Well therein lies your problem."

"The problem is our mother," Klaus reiterated with agitation.

"And she's _gone_ now," Finn emphasized.

"Don't sound so disappointed."

"If I am disappointed, it is because there is such a distinct lack of trust that it causes the two of you to be foolishly reckless. If her distance is what you wanted, if it is to be maintained, then it should be a _joint_ effort." Elijah and Klaus both gaped incredulously. "Perhaps the next time the two of you are conspiring, you might think of coming to me before passing judgement and making such rash decisions." He glanced to Klaus. "Am I not also your brother?"

"Are you not also her son?" he shot back.

"I know that you cannot understand this, but I don't have the cold-hearted capacity that you do to turn my back on my mother. Nor does that mean that I will turn my back on you," he added loudly as Klaus started to protest. "So long as I have your word that you will refrain from harboring Henrik as your own personal fugitive." Klaus' brows twitched. "His whereabouts should be a shared knowledge between the three of us."

Elijah stroked his chin, glancing to Klaus. "That's more than reasonable."

"I have a condition, then." Klaus stepped forward, well beyond Finn's comfort zone. " _We_ make the decisions. As they pertain to _everyone_ in this household. Who is brought in or out of this house must be cleared by everyone. And if you _do_ try to go behind our back, I swear my vengeance will not be merciful."

Finn narrowed his eyes but shook his brother's offered hand in agreement, holding it a moment longer. "You should really learn to control your temperament, Niklaus. It might get you into trouble one day."

Their hands unlinked and Finn turned away. Klaus glared at his back as he exited, picking his briefcase up along the way and disappearing from view. Elijah pursed his lips as he came up behind him, smoothing his tie.

"That went better than expected." He moved up to stand shoulder to shoulder, glancing sideways at him. "Do you believe him?"

Klaus' eyes slid with a sardonic monotone "Do you?"

* * *

 **Thursday – Mystic Elementary 3:01 p.m.**

Teabags, lipstick and a good concealer were a girl's best friends on days like these. At this point, hiding the evidence had become almost an artistry for Caroline. Unfortunately she'd been through enough bumps and bruises to know the drill. Bacitracin for the scrapes, aspirin for the headaches, and alcohol at night to numb her sore heart. She'd gone through half a bottle of wine by the time Klaus had gotten there. He happened to be a better medicine than any of it, though she would never have wanted him to see her like that. She was strong, damnit. Not just some desperate, emotionally wrecked little girl trying to make it in a man's world. And yet, in his arms, she could do nothing but crumble. And she hated it.

More so, she hated that he was gone. He stayed late into the night. They lay together in her bed, saying nothing and speaking volumes in their silence. He held her with an unspoken promise that everything would be all right and that he was there for her. Until he wasn't.

Her bed was unnervingly empty in the morning and when she walked out to the kitchen, half expecting him to be there, he was nowhere to be found. She couldn't understand why he would leave, and why skulk in the middle of the night like some kind of lurking shadow? Had the ordeal scared him off that badly?

She tried to tell herself that he had to go home for Henrik, but even that didn't seem like a good enough reason. What was worse? He was completely ignoring her texts. It was the end of the day and, given the circumstance, she was sure he was going to be making an appearance in her classroom any minute. She stared at her iPhone screen at the pathetic amount of texts she'd sent him throughout the day – five was pathetic by her standards, okay? – the lack of grey response bubbles blurring her vision with irritation.

"Miss, Caroline?"

She looked up and blinked until she saw Henrik standing timidly at the opposite side of her desk. Her smile was automatic.

"Yes?"

He held up the worksheet she'd given him and she took it from him, nodding with her head to gesture him around the desk. He walked over and stood by her side to watch her grade it.

"Very good," she told him. "You got almost all of them right. See, this one here is kind of tricky because it looks like something else." He was looking up at her curiously and she sat back a little. "Do you know what a bat is?" He shook his head. "It's kind of like a bird but it only comes out at night." He nodded quietly. "Did you finish the second worksheet?" He shook his head. "Your brother should be here soon, anyway." She leaned over her desk again, glancing at the clock. "I hope."

Henrik stood by idly as she began to thumb through her lesson plans. "Miss Caroline?" She hummed in response. "What happened to your head?"

She looked up, alerted, instinctually covering the bandaid covered patch with her hand. "Oh. It's nothing. It was an accident."

Something strange registered in his face and he looked down. When he looked up again, his frown was hard but his voice was barely audible, "Did your daddy do it?"

Her heart stopped, breath catching at the sudden turn. "What?" Her brows shot up, her lips wavering in shock. "Wh...Why would you think that?"

There was fear in his expression then. He quickly shrugged before decidedly turning and running back to his table. She was having palpitations suddenly, her stomach knotting with dread. She didn't want to jump to conclusions but the history of their family's abuse resurfaced and Tyler's words rang in her ears. Klaus' story about their mother's adultery suddenly came to mind. He'd said the child in question felt isolated, guilty even. How could a child so young feel such adult emotions? It stood to reason that he was probably _made_ to feel them by someone else.

Still, the thought of Henrik enduring that abuse, and at such an incredibly young age? He was two when they were convicted, she reminded herself. _Two!_ How could a person harm a toddler? Enough that he could even remember it now?

She'd had a hunch before but something it was finally clicking, and his behavior now only confirmed it in her head. It was why he had adverse responses to affection; why he flinched whenever a hand reached out to him; why he refrained from socialization; why he was such an important commodity to his siblings. Henrik was the unwanted son of Esther's affair.

She got up and walked over to him, pulling the chair beside him out to sit with him. He watched her thoughtfully as she moved closer and slid the paper she'd given him from under his palm so she could command his attention. His confused eyes were focused on her. Maybe it was crossing a boundary, and her stomach was in her throat, but...she had to know.

"Henrik..." she started softly. "Did your daddy ever hurt you?"

His little brows creased and he stared at her quietly for a time until he reached for the paper again and slid it back in front of him with an annoyed huff. "No," he said defiantly.

Caroline swallowed and sat back slowly, her heart aching as she watched the five-year-old determinedly work on tracing the letters on the paper. His grip on his pencil turned his knuckles white and she noticed the lines of his letters wobbling. A chord was struck, she just wasn't sure which. She leaned forward, ready to question him again when...

"Sorry I'm late," a voice said gruffly from behind. Katherine waltzed into the classroom, looking around with a half-smirk. "Cute place you've got here."

Caroline frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking up the pipsqueak."

She stood. "Where's Klaus?"

"Not here." She crouched down beside Henrik. "Time to go, kiddo. Your brother's waiting."

He dropped the pencil on the table and got up without a word. She rose as he put his jacket on and didn't button it, and grabbed his backpack by the top loop, dragging it across the floor as he walked to the door.

"What's with him?" Katherine frowned then glanced to Caroline. "Scratch that. What happened to _you_?"

"Nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

She rolled her eyes with a weary sigh and walked over to where Henrik was waiting by the door. He looked down instantly and it made her heart hurt so she knelt in front of him, keeping her hands in her lap. "Hey. I'm sorry if I upset you," she murmured, hoping Katherine didn't hear as she approached. "Are we still friends?"

It took a moment of consideration but he finally lifted his head and nodded feebly. She huffed a tiny sigh of relief through her nose before easing herself back onto her feet. She folded her arms, rubbing them as her eyes darted from Katherine's questioning ones.

"Is everything okay with Klaus?"

"Why would I know?"

"Do you think you can you tell him to call me? Or at least answer my texts?"

Katherine shrugged. "I can tell him. But it doesn't mean he'll listen."

"Just...tell him it's important."

She nodded and started to lead Henrik out the door when something stopped her. She looked back over her shoulder, eyes narrowed.

"Give him time." Her eyes drifted up to the bandaged corner of her head. "He's not as immune as he pretends to be."

Caroline frowned, even more confused, but Katherine only offered a tiny smile of reassurance and then she and Henrik were gone.

* * *

 **Mikaelson Mansion – 6:37 p.m.**

A full day and a half had come and gone with no disturbances or sightings. By the afternoon, Klaus felt at ease enough to reach out to Kol and beckon his siblings back home. His message to Kol was, of course, returned with a snarky response and an insufferable amount of emojis – Kol knew he hated them – but the two were en route. With Elijah occupying Henrik and Finn in his study, Klaus was left in his own company.

Generally he could withstand himself, but some days, days like today, he basked in the loathsome creature he was, regurgitating his past and combing over each and every moment that he might have changed, what could and should have happened. There was so much he had to answer for.

He was to blame for Kol and Rebekah's imprisonment.  
He was to blame for the trauma Henrik endured upon his arrest.  
He was to blame for Caroline now being involved.  
He was to blame for his father's irrational behavior.  
He was to blame for all the times he was struck.

...For the argument that caused Tatia to leave. For not taking the keys. For letting her drive off, knowing full well she had had too much to drink. He was to blame for her death.

He was to blame for the havoc wreaked upon this family, for being born at all. His existence created the domino effect that was their life, being subject to things no person should be subjected to, and having to relocate and rebuild. It was no wonder none of them could create lasting relationships outside of their familial circle. Finn had had Sage, the woman who brought something lively out of the otherwise monotonous creature of habit. Until she tired of coming second. Elijah and Katherine were forever fighting a lasting battle that even Elijah wasn't sure he would win. Kol feigned indifference but his commitment issues were gaining strength each day. Rebekah was afraid. And then there were his own mishaps. He craved the companionship, the safety of another's arms, and for a short time with Tatia he'd thought he'd had everything he needed. Their story was so easy at the beginning, almost picturesque. He should have known better than to have expected a happy ending.

Which brought him to Caroline. There were so many layers to his connection with her. He'd never intended any kind of commitment with her when he first approached her. She was beautiful and had an appreciation for art. It was all he would need to build on and easily ensnare her in one of his imitative flings, until he tired of the pretense of it all and sent her back out to pasture. He hadn't counted on her catching him in his game, calling him on it, being so brutally honest and rejecting him in probably one of the most cruelest manners he'd endured. It changed everything, and the way they blossomed from that moment forth put him in a continually flustered position of complete and utter disarray.

As things kept progressing, as secrets became harder to keep, his fears climbed closer and closer to the surface. It was why he ran. He was still trying to come to terms with the realities of last night. Seeing Caroline in such a state brought forth too many emotions. His heart couldn't bear her tears, the way she looked so ashamed and blamed herself for her appearance; how she kept reiterating if only she hadn't gone to see him. He had to keep telling her that the choice to hurt her was Tyler's and Tyler's alone. She knew that, but it was the coming to terms with her past crashing into their present that was harder.

It was too close too home.

What she _didn't_ know were the triggering feelings he had just sitting there with her. He knew very well the sting she was feeling in her heart and how those aches and pains weren't just skin deep. He also knew that if Tyler Lockwood ever dared to cross his path again, there would be Hell to pay. And more.

A familiar sound of bickering echoing from the foyer allayed all of his angry thoughts.

"Everyone stay calm!" Kol waltzed into the house, arms spread, wide grin. "The prodigal son and strumpet have returned." Rebekah thwacked his shoulder and he rubbed it. "Ow."

"I am not a strumpet."

Rapid steps gave way to Klaus who appeared at the railing of the balcony.

"Oi," Kol greeted him. "Well don't just stand there."

His lips twisted in a grin and Klaus made his way down to them where Rebekah met him at the base in relieved hug.

"I'm so sorry she did that to you, Nik."

"It's all right," he told her, stroking her hair absently, just glad to have her home. He pulled back and looked at her seriously. "Are you all right?"

"Better now," she assured him.

He glanced to Kol and, when she released him, walked over to his brother and held his shoulders. "Thank you," he told him. Kol nodded as a look of understanding passed through them and Klaus pulled him in for a hug, clapping him on the back. "I'm glad you're home."

"Prison's made a sap out of you," Kol teased and they parted.

"Where's Henrik?" Rebekah asked.

"Upstairs. Elijah's running him a bath."

"I can't imagine what it must have been like to see you taken away."

"She'll pay for that," Kol swore.

"Indeed she will," Finn's voice came before his approach from the hall. He stopped once all three of them had turned. "Rebekah. Kol. I'd like to extend an apology. I'm sorry if you felt trapped while our mother was residing here. I should have taken better care to look after you."  
"Don't apologize to me," Kol said not hiding his bitterness. His thumb pointed backward at Rebekah. "Apologize to her. She's the one you two trapped."

"Kol," Rebekah urged softly and pushed his hand down. "It's fine, Finn."

"No," Kol shook his head defiantly. "It's not. You put all of us in danger bringing her here. Don't waste an apology if it's only to ease your own conscience."

Klaus held a hand up and walked between his brothers, giving Kol a look. "That's enough."

"Not nearly."

"We have an agreement."

Both Rebekah and Kol looked at him in disbelief. "What do you mean an agreement?" Rebekah asked.

"All of us share a common goal," Finn assured them. "To ensure that Henrik has a good home and a happy life."

"Bloody good job you've done so far."

"Kol," Klaus warned him.

"I never intended for things to escalate," Finn continued, "and I apologize for my part in that. Niklaus, Elijah, and I have agreed to make communal decisions from now on, in regards to our family. Our whole family."

Rebekah glanced worriedly to Klaus. "What does that mean, Nik?"

"It means you have nothing to fear, little sister. Esther won't be returning."

Kol huffed through his nose. "And why don't I believe you?" He shook his head. "You weren't here the past few days. You didn't have her hovering over your shoulder at every turn, making demands in _our_ own home!"

"I wasn't. And I apologize for my actions and the effects they had on the two of you. I should have stayed. She would never have gotten past the door."

"Do you want to know what our darling mother did while you were off gallivanting with your precious teacher and favored brother? She interrogated us. Our own mother did a bloody cross examination on her children, Nik. Took our phones, car keys, any means of an easy out and locked them away, trying to make us tell her what we knew."

Klaus' eyes slid to Finn. "You failed to mention that."

"It's been three years, Kol," Finn argued. "Can you blame her for being out of touch with how to be a mother?"

"That's just it!" He laughed bitterly. "She's _never_ been in touch with her maternal instincts! Look at what she allowed Nik to endure!"

Klaus tensed, jaw clenching. "That's enough, Kol."

"And now poor Caroline has become a part of this mess. I shudder to think what kind of use our mother will find for her."

"I said _enough_!"

"Stop it!" Rebekah cried suddenly. "All of you, stop it! This is what she wants! For us to tear each other apart, limb from bloody limb. Well, I, for one, refuse to play along with her schemes!"

"Rebekah's right," Finn agreed. "Family is about unity. Especially in times of hardship. I had forgotten that." He glanced to Kol, earnestly. "I _am_ sorry."

Kol stared at him, hard, crossing his arms with a slow stream of breath. "So what do we do now? Are we to be sitting ducks?"

"We resume our lives," Klaus told him. "As best as we possibly can."

Upstairs, in the land of soap and bubbles, far from the stresses on the first floor, another set of brothers were bonding. Bath time had become one of their daily rituals, a favored quality time moment of Elijah's and a nice relief from what was otherwise a more monotonous day of work.

"Eyes closed," Elijah instructed the five-year-old, before pouring the cup of water over his head. "Very good."

Henrik rubbed the water droplets from around his eyes and continued to sort through the floating foam letters and numbers that had amassed in the tub.

"Tell me something you learned at school today."

Henrik picked up the letters H and E and stuck them to the wall, answering distractedly, "Squares have four sides."

"That's right, they do."

He picked up a U, mistaking it for a lower case N, and put it back. "Circles have no sides."

"What about triangles?"

He stuck his tongue out, scanning the numbers until he dunked the 3 under and brandished it in the air with a splash. "Three!"

Elijah jerked at ricochets of water that hit his face and wiped them away carefully. "Indeed."

"That's why it's a tri-angle." He shot his other hand up out of the water and the splash hit Elijah's tie.

"Perhaps we can _try_ to keep the water inside the bathtub."

Henrik smiled sheepishly and lay the number back down on the surface carefully and instead started to quietly pile up the bubbles in a mountain of suds.

"Would you like to know what I did today?" Elijah asked him.

"What?"

"I helped a distressed merchandiser with a failing company come to an agreement with his loan officer. We mediated a settlement in which they would finance their stocks which prevented the business owner from going completely bankrupt." Henrik tilted his head with a confused look, his eyes wandering back to his bubbles. Elijah chuckled. "You're right. I suppose it's not as interesting as circles and squares."

Henrik patted the bubble mountain down into a mass of foam again and began squishing it thoughtfully between his fingers.

"Are you ready to wash your hair?" Henrik nodded and Elijah picked up the bottle of shampoo, popping the tab to open it. "Hands out, please."

Henrik dunked his foamy fingers under the water to rinse them, then cupped them patiently. His brother squeezed a quarter sized glob out and Henrik grinned at the gooey substance, pushing at it with his fingertip.

"Now scrub it in," he instructed. "Make sure you get your whole head."

Henrik rubbed his hands together and began to rub the shampoo into his hair, mushing it around his head. Elijah helped him with the lather then rinsed his hands in the bath water, proceeding to roll his sleeves up after.

"You're getting very good at that," Elijah told him, picking up the cup again to fill it. "Soon you won't need my help."

Henrik frowned at the cup, instinctively covering his face with his hands. "Don't get it in my eyes," he told him with an edge of worry.

"I promise." He used his hand against his forehead to shield from the water as he poured and refilled to rinse the soap from his hair. "All done."

Henrik's shoulders slumped, glad the worst was over. He watched Elijah thoughtfully as his big brother had grabbed a hand towel to dry off.

"Where's Kaffrine?"

"Hmm?"

"She didn't stay. She always stays."

Elijah's gaze flicked to his only briefly before he began to unroll his sleeves. "She had to work."

"At night?"

"It would seem so."

Henrik frowned and looked over at the H and E he had put on the wall. He tore the H off and picked at one of its stems. "Are you still being married to her?"

Elijah's brows shot up at the randomly innocent question. "Yes, of course. Although there is a question of when."

Henrik tilted his head, thinking again. "What does married mean?"

"Well, it can mean a lot of things. It can be a societal standard of contractual agreement. It can be nothing more than a financial amalgamation. Or it can be two people who are very much in love wanting to declare that love to the world, and hold onto it for as long as they can make it work."

"Like, forever?"

"In some cases. Though, statistically, the divorce rate has been increasing." His eyes slid to the five-year-old staring at him blankly. "What is it that you want to know about marriage, exactly?"

"Can Nik and Miss Caroline be married?"

Elijah chuckled. "That, I'm afraid, is entirely up to them. He would have to ask her. And she would have to say yes."

Henrik took that note to heart and began searching his bath letters again while Elijah began to wipe up the water on the floor. He grabbed the Y and the S from the water and placed them on either side of the E he had put up on the wall, smiling at his handiwork.


	13. Chapter 13

**JuseaPeterson** \- Honestly, I don't feel like Finn is going to be a bad guy in this. Just grossly misunderstood.

 **rebbecca1** \- Oh something is definitely up with Katherine and Elijah. I'll be getting to that soon-ish. What you said about Tyler having it coming but not at the expense of Klaus/Henrik is mighty interesting... ;)

 **QueenOfAllShips14** \- Good gracious let me love you! Thank you for reading and reviewing throughout, it means a lot! You're a doll! I did love Stebekah a lot, and I know I mentioned Enzo in this but I'm not 100% sure where that's going just yet. There is a lot of hilarity surrounding that, actually. No Freya, NO Elena, and not sure about Sage yet. Tatia and Katherine are not related, and I will be going into that backstory as well. I think Tyler's wife will come to light at some point too, but no relations to Klaus or Elijah whatsoever. Hope I answered all your questions!

xxx

Heeeeey guys, I'm back! I know it's been a long wait, and I feel terrible about that, but reality is forever my mistress.  
In that respect, I fully admit to some laziness in this chapter but I think you guys will like it anyway.

As always, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your love and continuous support, reading, reviewing, and all that jazz.

 _A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!_  
 _I hope you get to be with the ones you love and/or do the things you love to do!_  
 _I'll see you in the new year!_

* * *

PART 13

 **Mystic Elementary – Friday, 3:17 p.m.**

"Miss Caroline, did you ever be married?"

Caroline looked up from her desk in surprise. Across the way Henrik was turned backwards in his chair, his tiny fingers gripping the edge of the plastic blue seat in anticipation.

"Uhm," she blushed, tucking her hair behind her ear, "no. Not technically. Why do you ask?"

"Would you say yes if somebody asked you?"

"Well it would depend who that somebody is. And if I loved them. And if they loved me."

He pursed his lips in contemplation. "Only if they loved you and _you_ loved them?"

"Well, yeah. You can't just marry someone without loving them. There are exceptions, for reasons I can't tell you right now, but most of the time marriage is about celebrating the love you have for each other."

"Celebrate? Like a party?"

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Do you remember when we read Cinderella last week? A wedding is like a ball. You invite all the people who matter to you, and everyone dresses up. There's music, dancing, a big fancy dinner and a cake – "

"Cake?" His eyes grew wide and she laughed.

"A _huge_ cake. Some even as big as you." She smiled dreamily. "You get to go to a beautiful venue with pretty flowers all around and twinkling lights. The bride wears a big white dress, like a princess, and the groom wears a suit or a tux, just like a prince."

"Elijah wears suits. And Finn, sometimes. To work."

"It's a different kind of suit."

"So if somebody loved you, and you loved them, and they asked you to be married to them, you would say yes?"

She nodded, deliberating. "Yes."

He turned back to sit in his seat, seemingly satisfied, and picked up his pencil like nothing had ever happened. She tried to shake it off and glanced up at the clock with a half-frown. It was 3:17.

It was another twenty minutes before Klaus finally showed up to retrieve Henrik, and fifteen more while he and Caroline chatted idly. His demeanor was still off and with Henrik on his heels, it would be impossible to get to the heart of the matter that was bothering her. Instead, they talked about the traffic he'd hit, and the weather.

Henrik watched thoughtfully from his place between them, his head swiveling back and forth like a tennis match. Nik wasn't smiling as much and Miss Caroline was playing with her fingers a lot. It was forever before they finally noticed him again and Nik said they had to go.

"I'll call you later?" he'd asked and she nodded, but the worry in her eyes made Henrik afraid that she might not love Nik after all. He was sure of it before. She always smiled and poked him, and got real close, close enough that Nik would always look real scared before he smiled.

They left shortly after in silence which lasted until the school disappeared from Henrik's view out the window and he set his sights on his mission. He cocked his head at his brother, studying his expression.

"Do you love Miss Caroline?"

Klaus stiffened and shifted uncomfortably at the seemingly random question. "Did she ask you that?"

"No."

"Did you ask _her_?"

"No."

His fingers tapped the steering wheel. "So you're asking purely to satisfy your own, genuine curiosity?" Henrik nodded his head vehemently. "Then my answer would be ambiguous."

"What's that?"

"It means I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

"Why the sudden interest in my love life?"

Henrik slumped in his seat, mumbling, "I don't know…"

Klaus glanced sideways with a smirk. "Do _you_ love her?"

His face screwed up into a little grimace. "That's gross. You can't love a teacher."

"You just insinuated that _I_ could love her. What makes that any different?"

"Because she's not _your_ teacher. She's _my_ teacher." Klaus made a silent little "oh" shape with his mouth. "Besides, I'm only five."

"Soon to be six. One year older, one year closer to becoming an adult."

"Nik."

He was giving him the eye, the startling look of daggers that no five year old should be able to achieve. Klaus swallowed. "All right. I apologize."

"If you love her, you should tell her."

"And why is that?"

"Because."

"Because why?" he taunted.

" _Because._ "

Klaus frowned with a skeptical pause. "Have you been chatting with Rebekah again?" Henrik's head thudded against his seat with a dramatic huff. "I thought we discussed that when it comes to our sister, she has a penchant for romanticizing even the most mundane of things. It's not healthy," he warned. "Nor is it realistic. Not to mention she fancies herself trips to detention. Not the most ideal role model for you to be looking up to."

Henrik was staring at the roof of the car with impatience.

"I'll tell you what. If you agree to drop the subject, I'll take you to that fast food place you like."

"That's a baby trick, Nik."

"Oh? So you don't want to go play in that bacterial infested ball pit?"

Henrik pursed his lips and tilted his head. "Can I get the icy blue drink that Finn always says 'no'?"

Klaus hung his head with a chuckle. "You drive a hard bargain, monkey." He glanced again and Henrik was sitting up with a hopeful little smile that was his kryptonite. "It'll be our secret."

* * *

 **Caroline's Apartment – Saturday 8:07 p.m.**

All their talk of weddings and marriage stirred up latent emotions that Caroline thought she had tucked away tightly, never to resurface. Combined with recent events, it was hard to push them back down to the depths of her insecurity and that only made her more anxious when it came to Klaus. He was consistent with his word, his promised phone call turning into an invitation to dinner the next evening which resulted in his expectedly tardy arrival to pick her up. But she couldn't help baiting him a little. Her ulterior motives kicked in as soon as she invited him in.

"Just have to switch bags," she told him, leaving him at the door.

"I hope you'll forgive my behavior the past few days," he said to the empty living space, meandering mindlessly as his eyes wandered.

"I'll forgive you when you tell me why you left," she called back from her room.

His eyes flicked in the direction of her voice and his heart thudded in dread. He'd never get used to her directness, and vulnerability wasn't his strong suit. "I had a lapse in judgement." It was a cop out and he knew it.

"I'll say," her voice carried as she came back up the hall and into view. She had her clutch in her hand and a determined face on. "Ready?"

If that wasn't a loaded question, he thought. His eyes softened as he approached, closing the distance and gingerly raising the slant of hair at her forehead to touch the reddish-purple smear she was concealing. She winced, only slightly, as did his heart.

"I'm sorry," he told her when he met her eyes. He let her hair drop and his lips wavered in hesitation before continuing, "I thought I could handle it."

Caroline swallowed and felt her chest tighten. "It's okay," she half-whispered, clearing her throat with resolve. "For the record, I don't expect you to always do or say the right thing. No one's perfect. I just...need you to be there."

"I wanted to be." He looked down with a heavy nasal exhale. "There are…things you don't know. Things that night brought up."

"Well, in the spirit of open communication..." Her own gaze dropped as she swallowed back a wave of nerves. "There's something I have to ask you. And you're probably not going to like it."

He set his shoulders, eyeing her skeptically and overtly cautious. He licked his lips decidedly and nodded, but the worry remained in his eyes. She bolstered her courage with a breath, but as soon as she exhaled she felt her heart rate soar.

"Thursday, after school, Henrik saw my head and asked me how it happened."

Klaus shook his head. "He's overly inquisitive. He hasn't fully grasped boundaries yet. I'll have a talk with him."

"No, it's totally understandable. It's not like it's not noticeable or anything, especially to a five-year-old. I'm actually kind of surprised none of my other students mentioned it." She caught his look of waning and pressed her lips closed to end her babble. She averted her gaze to the floor and tucked her hair behind her ear. "The thing is…after he asked me what happened, and I told him it was nothing, just an accident...but...he asked me if my daddy did it."

His furrowed brows parted and his eyes slowly widened, and she noticed his Adam's apple jump.

"I don't want to overstep any boundaries myself, but was he – I mean, did your father…" She couldn't bring herself to finish the question, her heart thumping too loudly in her ears.

He turned away, clenching his jaw. "Kids have broad imaginations."

She frowned at his back. "Kids don't just imagine their parents hurting them, Klaus."

He whipped around angrily. "What do you want me to say, Caroline? I can't account for everything that comes out of his mouth."

"I'm not asking you to account for it."

"Then what do you want from me?"

"Right now? For you to not act like a crazy angry person."

That was it. His patience cracked. He turned his back on her and hastened to the door.

"Where are you going?!"

"Home."

And he wasn't stopping. She went after him, trying to beckon him back, but he'd already gotten the door open. She followed out onto the stoop and he'd made it halfway down the path when she called out, "Why are you running?"

It stopped him dead in his tracks. There it was again. The sheer honest truth just staring him in the face. And why _was_ he running? _You're nothing but a coward,_ his father's voice echoed in his head. He felt like a child again, the phantom taste of salty metal in his mouth. _Turn around and face me like a man!_ He was on all fours, kicked down and gripping the earth as if begging the grass and soil for some kind of mercy as the man at his back barked with insult. He spat blood and pushed himself to his feet, angrily turning to face him in defiance. _Wham!_ went his father's striking force, knocking him back to the ground on his stomach. _You think you're man enough to face me, boy?_

His fists began to clench, his breaths coming faster with the recurring daydreams. He hadn't meant to scare her when she touched his shoulder.

Caroline drew her hand back with a jump when he flinched. It made her think of Henrik. She slowly edged around until she was facing him. His expression was wrought but he wouldn't look at her. His fists were still curled. Her brows creased with determination and she asked quietly, "What did your father do to him?"

His breathing shook heavily until he forced himself steady and slowly raised his sullen eyes to hers. "Nothing," he told her, his voice emotionless. "He never laid a hand on Henrik."

His eyes were penetrating but it was that tiny lilt that gave her chills. He never laid a hand on _Henrik._

When he saw the realization dawn on her, the shame set in and his eyes averted. "I never imagined he'd retain any memory of that," he remarked softly.

Caroline was blinking hard, this news struggling to register in her brain. Everything started to fall into place now. The way he acted, the reason he left. And then she remembered the day Klaus brought Henrik over. When she had slapped him. And what Henrik had said about seeing his brother get hit. The cold wash of regret nauseated her.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't do that." He shook his head with a look of warning.

She gave him a knowing look. "You're not to blame for your father's actions."

"I deserved it."

 _Oh god, he was going to be one of those_ , she realized.

"I was rebellious, for a time."

 _Maybe not?_

"And I wanted my mother to wake up and see him for the monster he truly was." He shook his head, lips pressed together. "It made no difference to her."

"How could anyone just stand by while their child is being abused?"

He didn't answer her, instead meandered over to the stoop and sat down on the top step, his hands clasping in the gap between his legs. She frowned and sat beside him, leaving space so they didn't touch. She could look nowhere but the ground, the cracks in the concrete almost mocking her.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories and completely ruin our night."

"You didn't." He turned his head with a grim smile. "I told you dating me would be complicated."

She mirrored his smile. "I didn't tell you dating _me_ would be."

He hummed a small chuckling sound. "What are the chances either of us makes it out of this unscathed?"

She stood up from the stoop then. "Let's just make it through dinner," she said, smoothing out her skirt. "We can go from there."

She held her hand out in offering to help him up, and he took it.

* * *

 **Mystic Elementary – Friday 3:25 P.M.**

Being back on good terms after dinner that evening made time begin to fly by again. Without the stresses weighing her down, Caroline could enjoy her time with Klaus again and soon enough another week was coming to an end. Most days, closing in on the half hour past pickup mark was taking advantage of Caroline's hospitality. Luckily, Klaus had preemptively warned her about a meeting he'd had with the custody lawyer. On top of his usual tardiness, she wasn't holding her breath for him to show up before 4 o'clock. Not that she minded the extra time hanging with her favorite pupil. He was sitting on the reading carpet with a book in his lap, thoughtfully watching her as she tidied up the shelf.

"Okay, that should do it. We now have an alphabetized reading corner." She turned around with her hands on her hips, expecting a smile but noticed him staring at the same page he was looking at before she had started. Her brows creased as she frowned.

"Hey..." She moved to kneel down beside him. "Why'd you stop?"

He looked up, reticent. "It's my birthday next week."

Her brows shot up in surprise. "It _is_ …"

"It's on Friday. Last year, I turned five on April five."

She giggled. "That must have been fun. Are you going to do something special with your family?"

He shrugged. "We always go out for fancy dinner on birthdays."

"Well that's fun. You get to eat yummy food. And have the waiters sing to you."

"Yeah..."

She spied his lack of enthusiasm and smiled coyly as she positioned herself to sit Indian style. "What would _you_ want to do, if you could do anything in the world for your birthday?"

He started to smile. "Anything?"

"Anything."

He hummed and his head turned sideways as he contemplated the possibilities. "I would have a big, _big_ birthday party," he said suddenly, his arms thrust in the air. "With cake and presents and games and goodie bags, too."

She giggled. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Yeah." He let his arms drop and his smile faded. "But we never do parties."

"Why not?"

He shrugged again. "Finn says no parties. But Nik lets me stay in his room until everyone goes to sleep, and then we sneak very quiet downstairs where he hided a cake in the 'fridgerator. And we eat the whole thing." Caroline laughed. "It's not a big cake. It's a little one 'cause I'm little."

"You know, I don't want to brag, but we have had some pretty awesome birthday parties here in school."

His eyes were huge. "None of my schools ever did birthday parties before."

"Well I happen to think that birthdays are very important and should _definitely_ be celebrated."

"How do you celebrate?"

"We still have to do our lessons, but – instead of snack, I bring in cupcakes or donut holes. Your choice. We all sing "Happy Birthday to You." _And_ you'll get to wear a birthday crown all day."

His eyes lit up and his smile melted her heart. His bashful nature quickly returned and he ducked his head, his fingertip tracing a word on the page. "...Can I have green cupcakes?"

Caroline beamed. "Green cupcakes it is."

* * *

 **Mikaleson Mansion – 7:37 p.m.**

Klaus hadn't shown up to retrieve Henrik until after 4:30, much to Caroline's dismay. In an effort to make up for his excessive lateness, he invited her to join them that evening for their weekly family dinner with promises of a decadent dessert. Whether he was being literal or not, she was weakened with temptation and accepted. Henrik was more ecstatic than he was.

After their meal – just as boisterous as the first she'd attended – they retired to the living room while Finn cleaned everything up. Elijah had taken Henrik upstairs for his bath as a blatant diversion tactic. Katherine had chosen not to join them this evening and the stress on his face throughout dinner was unmissable. Caroline hoped whatever was going on with them would end soon. She had just started to take a liking to Katherine.

Together, Caroline and Klaus lounged on the couch where she watched him sketch while Kol was engrossed in a video game, and Rebekah in her phone. Kol's sudden cry of excitement jostled them all out of the comfortable silence.

"Let the record show that, on this night, I have just unlocked the highest achievement in this game which – "

"No one cares," Rebekah tiredly assured him without looking up.

"You should. It normally takes up to twelve consecutive hours of gameplay. Most players take weeks to do it."

"Probably because they have lives."

He paused the game to glare at her but she wasn't paying him any attention. To spite her, he plucked her phone from her hands and she gasped.

"Hey! Give that back!"

He quickly jumped up with a laugh when she lunged, dodging her in a backwards stumble as he scrolled along her screen. "Dinner was nice, but I'd much rather have been with you," he read aloud, his voice crooning with a pitch.

"Kol!"

"I feel like I can talk to you about anything," he continued, running around the couch in the opposite direction of her. "Awww, he feels the same way. Isn't that nice? What a nice boy," he taunted, jumping back just before she tackled him to the ground. His head landed next to Klaus' feet. "Nik, catch!"

The phone landed in his lap and Rebekah clambered to her feet in record speed, snatching it back up before he could even move. By the time he looked up at her, her sights were back on Kol.

"That was _private_ , you idiot!"

Kol raised up on his elbows with a cheeky grin. "Does he also know what a stubborn brat you are?"

"He knows how big of an _arse_ YOUare."

"Ooh, you two talk about me, do you?"

"Yes, we discuss the many ways we're going to maim and _murder you_!"

"Should I be flattered or disgusted that you have to use me as as means of foreplay?"

"I'm going to murder you myself right now," she threatened, taking a step toward him.

"You will not." Finn was in the doorway wearing his no-nonsense expression. "If the two of you cannot behave while in the same vicinity, then you can go up to your respective rooms."

Neither of the two said a word but shared dirty looks before ignoring one another and returning to their sources of entertainment. Pleased, Finn took up the empty armchair and the air was suddenly tense, the room quiet. Adding to the awkwardness, Elijah entered without a word. Caroline shifted uncomfortably.

"Where's Henrik?" she asked.

"In his room," was all he offered. No sooner did he make his way to the liquor cart and start fixing himself a glass of bourbon. No one moved, no one said a thing. Even Klaus.

"He told me his birthday is next week," she tried. Her smile turned to worry when their faces went blank.

Klaus frowned then closed his eyes in damnation. It was Rebekah who said, "Bloody hell, we forgot Henrik's birthday!"

"I didn't forget," Klaus argued. "I've just been too preoccupied to make any arrangements."

"Preoccupied with snogging?" Kol teased. "Not that I blame you. She _is_ a pretty little snack."

Both Caroline and Rebekah made sounds of revulsion and Klaus' eyes cut to his brother's back. "Another word and _I_ will let Rebekah murder you."

"Why is this family always fixated on murder?" Finn muttered from his corner.

"Shall I make reservations at that Italian bistro we went to last month?" Elijah suggested.

"We always do Italian," Kol griped. "Let's mix it up a bit."

"Mediterranean would be nice," Rebekah offered.

"Or Thai," Kol offered.

She grimaced. "Thai's too spicy."

"Don't be such a _girl_ , Bekah."

She punched his shoulder and he shoved her back which made her gasp. Finn's eyes slid to them warningly.

Caroline looked around at them, gaping. "You guys do realize it's _his_ birthday. What about what _he_ wants?"

"Henrik is a child," Finn disputed. "He doesn't know what he wants."

"Kol is an adult and the same could be said for him," Rebekah teased with a boastful smile.

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "If that's not the pot calling the kettle."

Elijah was the only one giving her any consideration. "What do you propose?"

"He's a kid. Why not throw him a little party?"

Klaus' head shook immediately. "Not a good idea."

"Oh come on. I could help! I'm a party planning expert. I've hosted tons of themed events."

"I don't doubt your abilities, love, but, considering our situation, it's better to remain inconspicuous."

"Yes, I can see that by the enormous mansion you erected." He gave her a look of reprimand and she rolled her eyes with a grin. "Fine. Then at least take him somewhere age appropriate, then. Like _Chuck E. Cheese._ Or let him have an ice cream feast at _Friendly's_." He sighed heavily and she leaned in while the rest of the room was lost in discussion. "He's a kid, Klaus. He deserves to have a little fun, at least on his birthday."

* * *

 **Mystic Elementary – Monday 3:02 p.m.**

In the past month and a half, Henrik and Caroline had begun to develop an after-school routine. The control freak in her was content to walk him back in to the classroom, sit him down with the worksheets she had printed offline the night before, and begin to prep her lessons for the following day. Only on Fridays did they sit by the reading corner and pick out a book to read together. They had it down pat, like clockwork, so when Henrik chose to run from her to the closet the second they got to the classroom door, her whole system was thrown off.

"Henrik?" she called after him, but he didn't answer. She heard him bustling and the sound of a zipper unzipping before deciding to wait him out at her desk. She took up the stack of penmanship practice sheets she'd collected and began to grade them.

A moment later he walked up to her desk and put a tiny green envelope on top of the paper she was correcting. She glanced to him with a wry smile.

"What's this?"

He said nothing and ducked his chin to her desk, bashfully. She picked it up delicately and opened the flap with a careful slide of her fingertip, already spying the trees and monsters hiding inside. She pulled the little card out and her smile widened as she read: 

**_LET THE RUMPUS START!_**

 ** _The KING of all Wild Things  
HENRIK  
is turning SIX_**

 ** _Saturday April 6_ _th_ _at 3:00 p.m._**

 ** _Please RSVP to Rebekah Mikaelson  
(Details on reverse)_**

 _ ****_

Her brows shot up. "A birthday party?"

"It was Nik's idea."

She turned the card over with an endeared smile. "Imagine that."

"Will you come?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world."

He righted himself and jumped straight into her arms, hugging her waist. She laughed, her arms flailing slightly before she wrapped them around him to hug him back. He let go quickly after and returned to the corner of his desk where he'd started. Her hands clasped over the papers.

"So. Who else are you inviting?"

"Nik, and Bekah, and Lijah, and Kol, and Finn, and Kaffrine."

"What about your friends?"

He shrugged. "I don't have any friends."

"Sure you do! You have a whole class of friends." He shook his head adamantly. "I bet if you invite them to your party, you'll have so much fun you'll _become_ friends."

Henrik thought about it but his frown was determined. "What if they don't like it?"

"Who doesn't like cake and goodie bags?"

His frown quickly turned upwards in a shy smile. "Okay. I'll try." She nodded confidently and slid the worksheets she'd printed him from under her papers and handed them to him. With that he started toward his usual seat but stopped halfway and looked back. "Miss Caroline? You can go to my party with Nik if you want to."

She smiled slowly as he turned back and took up his seat. She wasn't sure how it had happened, but somehow she had just gotten a five-year-old's permission to date his brother.


	14. Chapter 14

**TwilightHybrid -** Katherine and Elijah are having a disagreement about...something. Stay tuned. ;)

 **rebbecca1 -** Lots of people are gonna be at this party. :D

Aww, you _guys_! Your reviews are so sweet and make me smile so much whenever I read them. I'm so happy you guys are as endeared by this story and by Henrik as I am. It means the world to have you all here reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following, both here and on tumblr. Love to all you rockstars!

xxx

Hey howdy hey, my beautiful souls! I return from the throes of reality with an update for you!  
I made it extra long since this was an extra long wait and because I'm not sure yet when the next update will be.

Happy birthday, Henrik! ;)

* * *

PART 14

 **Saturday April 6** **th** **– Mikaelson Mansion, 2:37 p.m.**

A few months ago, if you'd asked Caroline what the highlight of her weekend was, she would have an answer that had very much to do with happy hours and late night ice cream binges. Now, the highlight of her last few _months_ was a six-year-old's birthday party.

Admittedly, she'd been looking forward to seeing what Klaus had cooked up. Normally she hated to share credit for her brilliant ideas – and this was one of her top five – but she'd make an exception. Just this once. She was eager to see the set up and curious as to how Henrik would respond to the party atmosphere. It would be his first, and if she knew Klaus, it would be top notch. She just hoped that everything would go off without a hitch. Some fun was exactly what they all needed right now, herself included.

By the time she pulled up to the mansion, she could barely contain her smile. She parked and proceeded to follow the jungle themed arrows planted into the lawn to the backyard shindig. The yard was a magical masterpiece, barren except for the activity attendants and the two eldest Mikaelsons who curtly waved in greeting in the midst of tying balloon bouquets and streamers to the fence rails. She found Klaus standing by idly under the canopy that covered the snack tables.

"Some help you are," she taunted in his ear. His startled jerk made her laugh and he quickly feigned a smirk.

"I wouldn't want to get in the way."

"Is that your story?"

As if on cue, Finn's voice erupted with a mild bark at Elijah as the streamers began to fall. They watched as Elijah took the remainder of the balloons from Finn and gestured him away, his shoulders tense. Finn shook his head and stalked off toward the bouncy house.

"As you can see, Elijah's a bit of a perfectionist." Klaus half frowned in jest.

She rolled her eyes with a grin. "So. Where do the gifts go?"

He directed her to an adjoining tent where a few gifts already sat on the grass skirted table. A large box sat off to one end of it, taking up nearly the width of the table.

"Wow. Is that big one from you?"

"Elijah."

"What is it, a miniature horse?"

Klaus looked back with a brow raise. "I believe it's an entire collection of encyclopedias."

"Seriously?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Actually, he'll probably love that." He chuckled as she looked down at her own small gift self-consciously.

"I'm sure he'll love your gift more."

She smirked. "Well yeah. I mean who _doesn't_ love Shel Silverstein?"

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Do you think…could we talk for a moment?"

Her brows raised. "Yeah." She nodded. "Yeah, let me just go and put this down."

Her heart was doing somersaults against her chest. She set her book beside the gifts from his family and braced herself before taking his outstretched hand and letting him lead her inside to the empty kitchen. He turned around and leaned against the island counter with a tiny frown.

"I just wanted to be sure we were still in good standing," he told her.

"What do you mean?"

"Since I told you about my past, with my father, things between us have been…abnormally good. And I've never been one to take anything good for granted."

She began to move towards him, shaking her head. "Neither have I." She reached up to touch his face, stroking his stubble. "What is it that you're afraid of?"

He looked into her eyes, searching. "I don't want to think you may just be overcompensating." Her hand dropped and his eyes closed in regret. "I just meant – "

"I know what you meant."

"Caroline – "

"I, of all people, know what it's like to be in your position." She crossed her arms, almost wanting to hug herself. "And I know how easy it is to push people away when they're trying to help."

"I wasn't – "

"You were."

He shook his head. "I don't want this to be something that alters your perception of me. Or us."

Her brows raised, impressed, and she nodded. "That's fair. And likewise." She poked his chest playfully.

He exhaled softly in relief and took her hand as she was drawing it back, smiling as he raised it to his lips to kiss the back of it. "Never."

She smiled too, leaning in to whisper against his lips, "Good."

"You know it's a crime to hide my handsome face beneath a mask like this."

The moment shattered as Kol waltzed into the kitchen bearing his monstrous prosthetics.

"More like an improvement," Rebekah's voice followed as she entered behind him texting furiously on her phone.

Klaus and Caroline drew back and moved to stand beside each other, still holding hands. Kol stepped back so he was beside Rebekah who had begun to check her hair in the front-facing camera feature of her phone. He quickly grabbed her wrist to make her hold her phone outward.

"Hashtag twinning."

The shutter went off and she yanked her arm back and shoved him as he laughed. He pulled his mask off and took a big breath, his cheeks red from heat and his hair mussed. He ran a hand through it, huffing out another breath.

"Do I really have to wear this thing all day?"

"You knew the consequences when you volunteered," Klaus told him.

"I think it's cute," Caroline assured him with a sweet smile. It lit up his face and Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Miss Caroline!" a tiny shout filled the room, pattering feet following soon after as Henrik ran in from the hall.

"There he is." Kol snatched him up and hoisted him upwards to turned him upside down. Henrik laughed, letting himself hang loosely. "The birthday monster."

"No, _you_."

"Six years old and that's the best comeback you've got?"

"Hi Miss Caroline," he waved.

She laughed and turned her head sideways. "Hey there."

"Let him down," Klaus told him. "He'll get a head rush."

"Such a worrywart." But he did. No sooner did Henrik run over and hug his brother's leg. Klaus ran a hand over his hair, smiling down at him.

"How does it feel to be six?" Caroline asked.

He shrugged. "Where's Finn and Lijah?"

"Outside finishing setting up your party." Klaus smiled secretively. "Would you like to go see it?"

Henrik beamed with big eyes, nodding. He took Klaus' offered hand and seized Caroline's, walking in a line between them as Klaus led the way.

The massive backyard had been transformed into a whimsical jungle with potted palm trees, an inflatable jungle bounce house, and grass skirts and tassels for all the tables. Upon them sat goodies all decorated to match the _Where the Wild Things Are_ theme – monster claw cookies, cupcakes with crowns, a punch bowl shaped like a giant sail boat, popcorn with caramel, carrots and broccoli for dipping, paper goodie bags with yellow ribbons, and a three tiered cake with Max and his wild friends dancing around it. A giant customized banner hung above. There were even cardboard cutouts of the monsters near the table for photo op purposes.

In another corner of the yard was a jungle gym right beside the swing set they already owned, and across was a climbing wall where two attendants were securing the harness ropes. The last embellishment was right beside the gift table – a golden throne as tall as Elijah who was consequently placing the wooden staff and paper maché crown that Caroline had secretly made the night before on the cushioned seat.

Henrik gaped at everything in awe, his jaw dropped and eyes wider than wide. He dropped their hands and took a single step forward, unsure where to run first.

"Do you like it?" Henrik looked up at his brother with such wonder it made Klaus laugh. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"How did you get me a king's chair?"

Klaus crouched down beside him looking across the yard at the golden throne with him. "I had to travel to a kingdom far away and ask for an audience with its king. When I saw him, I told him I was throwing my favorite brother's very first birthday party and I'd very much like to borrow his throne."

Henrik turned to him, stunned. "He said yes?"

"It's here isn't it?"

"And I'm your favorite brother?"

Klaus grinned. "Always and forever."

Henrik's smile was a thing of glory before he leapt into his brother's arms with the biggest hug he had ever given. Klaus hugged him back tightly. "Happy birthday, monkey."

The six-year-old pushed back to look at him with a curious frown. "Is that how come you were so late to pick me up last week? You had to go talk to the king?"

"Yes." Klaus nodded, feigning seriousness. "It was a very long discussion to get you that throne."

He hugged him again. "Thank you, Nik."

"Looks like Katherine came in the back way," Rebekah noted, spying her lingering near Elijah and the throne. "Guess they're talking again."

"You call that talking? She's practically barking at him," he gestured. "Suitable for a bi - "

"Kol!" Klaus warned.

"Hey, why don't we go look over here?" Caroline suggested, gently touching Henrik's back as she pointed toward the food table. He followed her lead, oblivious to the conversation.

Klaus' glare was fierce enough to make Kol swallow in shame. "I was just being funny."

"Henrik doesn't need to expand his vocabulary from the likes of you."

Kol's eyes rolled with a scowl. "Oh come on, Nik. It was a bloody slip."

"Don't let it happen again."

As he spared one last look of warning, Klaus took off in the direction of the climbing wall attendants to see to the safety hazards. Kol frowned after him, mocking him in a voice under his breath, " _Don't let it happen again_."

A short distance away, Henrik and Caroline were admiring all of the snacks on the food tables, and more importantly, the three layers of decorated fondant. His head tilted as he studied the little sugary figures molded onto it.

"Looks like you're officially initiated," a voice said from behind them.

Caroline turned to see Kathrine's wry grin. "Into what?"

"Family dinners? After school specials? _Birthday parties?"_ She crossed her arms. "Someone's sunk their claws into you."

Caroline mimicked her, crossing her own arms, her eyes narrowing. "Is that supposed to be a warning or congratulatory?"

"To be determined." She crouched down beside Henrik with a smile. "Hey, happy birthday, kiddo."

"Is this really a cake?"

"All three tiers of it. And it's your favorite flavor. Chocolate with chocolate cream."

"How do you know?"

"Because I got it." She winked and left them to go inside the mansion.

Caroline watched her curiously until she disappeared then remembered the child at her side. He was looking up at the banner now. She glanced sideways with a coy smile.

"Do you know what it says?"

He sucked in his lower lip and bit down, glancing over the words carefully. "Let. The. W..wiii…llll…duh, wild…rrr-uh-mmm-p-uh-sss...rumpus…" He paused and grinned. "Let the wild rumpus start!"

She laughed. "That's right. What about underneath that?"

"Happy Birthday?"

"Yep."

"I didn't read it," he confessed. "I just guessed."

She laughed again. "Good guess." The doorbell rang through the house and Henrik suddenly stiffened. "That must be your first guest. Want to go say hi?" She held her hand out to him and offered him a kind smile when he hesitated. "We can do it together."

* * *

The party was an instant hit and within an hour the mansion was crawling with the kids of Miss Caroline's kindergarten class, along with their parents. Somewhere amidst the single mothers was Kol, attempting to woo them in his monstrous form by delighting their kids with roars. Poor Ms. Bennett was having a hard time escaping him since he'd learned of her separation from her fiancé. The kids, however, were charmed.

Katherine and Elijah kept disappearing in and out of the house. The third time they returned she looked displeased. Finn was overseeing the snacks while chatting with the Salvatores whom Caroline was avoiding with all her might. In doing so, she had forgotten all about an even bigger foe.

"Caroline?"

Her voice sent a raging chill down her spine and her stomach knotted before she bolstered the courage to turn around to face Tyler's wife. She smiled her most winning smile, clenching the paper cup in her hand, desperately wishing it was something stronger than fruit punch.

"Hi, Hayley. Enjoying the party?"

"Yeah, it's great. They did a really good job."

"They did." She made no effort to hide her discomfort.

"Listen." She moved closer than Caroline would have preferred, tucking a curl of her chestnut hair behind her ear nervously. "Tyler told me what happened."

Caroline turned her cheek slightly, surprised by the amount of concern in her voice. Maybe it wasn't such a happily ever after, after all. Maybe old habits died hard and Hayley needed a kindred spirit.

"I think it's probably best if you just stay away from him from now on. For all our sakes."

Maybe not.

Caroline couldn't hide her appall but she'd be damned if she would start a scene, especially over Tyler. "I'm going to stop you right there. I'm not going to let you or Tyler ruin Henrik's day with your constant need for melodrama." She shook her head with a scoff. "I am so beyond over it."

With that she excused herself and made a beeline to the food tent where Katherine had, unbeknownst to her, been watching.

"Masterful," she said over her shoulder as Caroline brushed past.

"She's not even worth the calories I just wasted talking to her," she snipped, refilling her cup.

"At least you got the upper hand."

Caroline folded one of her arms under the other, glaring at her ex's wife from afar. "For now." She turned her sights away, trying not to laugh at Katherine's dismay with her miniature plate of raw vegetables. "Looks like Elijah's got the upper hand right now, between you two."

Katherine's eyes snapped to hers. "And why on earth would you think that?"

"If he didn't, you'd be drinking wine right now."

Caroline smiled to herself as Katherine's face drained of color. She gave her a little wink before walking off in search of Klaus.

Across the yard, Klaus was monitoring Henrik near the climbing wall, but his attention was fixated on his sister. She was in the farthest corner from him, leaning against one of the fence rails, smiling too much and talking with a dark haired man who was too close for Klaus' comfort. He hadn't noticed when Henrik had run off, or that Kol was now next to him, mask-less and following his line of sight.

"What's wrong, Nik? Your spidey senses tingling?" Klaus ignored him. "I don't blame you. As far as boyfriends go, this has to be her worst choice yet."

His eyes widened and he turned his whole body toward Kol, giving him a look. "Our sister has a boyfriend?"

Kol winced a smile. "Term of endearment." Klaus was not endeared. "He's just some bloody wanker she hangs around with in detention."

"Right. I'll see to that." He turned to make a beeline for the pair when Caroline was suddenly in his path.

"I swear, I should get an award for all the times I've kept myself from wringing that woman's bony little neck."

"Who's neck?"

"Nobody. Hayley's. She's Tyler's wife, but you know what? It doesn't matter. Because she is not getting to me today. Or ever." She frowned when she noticed him looking past her with a pale look of fury on his face. "Are…you okay?"

"Fine. I was just on my way to see about an unwanted party guest haranguing my sister."

She turned to look, squinting before the shock of recognition registered. "You invited _Enzo_?"

"You know him?" the two brothers echoed.

"He's a teaching assistant at the high school, but I know him from college. We met my senior year. He was a sophomore."

"Ooh," Kol crooned. "Naughty college days. Do tell." Klaus shot him a death glare and he raised his hands – and mask – in surrender. "Fine. But you owe me an explanation later, darling." She rolled her eyes as he disappeared back into the crowd of children.

Klaus' jaw clenched. "He's older?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," she assured him. They glanced back at Rebekah who was all smiles as Enzo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Klaus tensed and started to step forward but for Caroline's hand on his chest. "Hey, no. This is a _birthday party_. There will be no scene making."

"But – "

"No." She held her finger up where he could see it. "You owe it to Henrik." He exhaled heavily through his nose and eased down. "I've got this."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked over to where Enzo and Rebekah were talking. Klaus peered after her through narrowed eyes, watching carefully.

"Enzo?" Caroline grinned winningly when he looked up almost doing a double take. "Hey!"

His smile was less certain. "Caroline. Fancy meeting you here."

"I had no idea you were coming." She threw her arms around him in a hug that caused both on looking Mikaelsons to frown.

"Gorgeous," Enzo murmured quietly as he hugged her back, "what are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same question," she hissed.

"You two know each other?" Rebekah asked when they parted, unable to repress her worry.

"Oh, we go way back," Caroline answered just as Enzo had opened his mouth. " _Crazy_ college days."

Rebekah blinked furiously. "College…"

Enzo glanced to Caroline with an annoyed huff of breath. She sassed him with a grin. "Mind if I steal him away from you for a minute?"

He set his jaw. "Actually - "

"Great!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away with her, ignoring his agitated glare. "I've got someone I want you to meet."

"That's lovely, but can we do it some other time when you aren't being completely _insane_?"

"You are so one to talk," she shot back as she dragged him back towards Klaus who was no happier than he was to be face to face with his newest nemesis. "Enzo, this is Klaus. Rebekah's brother."

For a brief and shining moment Enzo was flabbergasted and wordless, but with a blink he recovered with a curt smile. "Nice to meet you, mate."

Klaus face was taut. He glanced to Caroline who was giving him "be nice" eyes. "Caroline tells me you were college friends."

"You could say that." He began to smile wryly. "We had our jollies a few times, she was highly experimental, but ultimately we worked best as friends. With the occasional benefits."

Caroline's eyes bulged, her jaw dropping. "What?!" She turned to Klaus whose expression was the epitome of rage and shook her head vehemently. "No."

"If you'll excuse me, I should be getting back."

"Hey!" Caroline stomped after him, stopping after a few steps. "Enzo! This is not a singles mixer! She's not even legal!" Her voice carried and he froze, the party halting briefly as everyone's eyes fell on Caroline. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and, after a pause, Enzo continued walking. The party resumed.

Klaus sauntered up to her side. "What was that about a scene?"

"Shut up."

* * *

After a few games, it was time for one of Henrik's favorite past times. The kids were all amassed around Kol who had been in the midst of a retelling of Henrik's favorite story. The adults were all scattered in groups, conversing over food and the adult adjusted punch. No one had even noticed that the birthday boy had slipped away until Henrik walked up to Klaus and Caroline, pouting. Klaus was worried instantly.

"What's wrong, monkey?"

"Kol doesn't do the monster sounds right."

"I'm sure he's doing the best that he can. Cut him a little slack."

Henrik looked down sadly. Klaus sighed, stealing a glance at Caroline who smiled apologetically.

"All right." He started to get up and suddenly hoisted the birthday boy up onto his shoulders, Henrik fumbling to grab his head for support. "All hail Henrik, king of the wild things!"

Kol stopped mid-sentence and all of the children's heads turns.

"Bow to your king and... _ROAR!_ "

The yard echoed with laughter and cheering and Henrik beamed as the air filled with the thunderous sound of Klaus' growling roars. The now six-year-old giggled maniacally and began waving his arms, outstretched in front of him.

"Rawwwr!" he growled along, and soon Klaus was stomping through the mounds of children all roaring in unison.

Caroline laughed, endeared, clasping her hands, tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.

"He seems pretty happy," Katherine said joining her in watching them stomp around.

Her giggles trailed into a smile. "He does, doesn't he?"

Klaus had set Henrik down and he and the kids swarmed him as he dropped to his knees for his imminent defeat. Beyond them Rebekah was laughing with Enzo across the yard, and nearby Kol was the center of attention in a circle of young mothers. Elijah and Finn were conversing by the cake as they prepared it, seemingly amicable. The day was remarkably normal and happier than most others.

Katherine glanced at Caroline with a smirk. "This was all your doing, wasn't it?"

"What?"

"Don't play coy." Katherine grinned. "I can see right through your pretty little school teacher facade."

"I may have planted the seed," she confessed with a smug grin. "Sometimes all they need is a little push."

"How did you know it would work?"

Caroline shrugged. "I didn't. But I hoped it would."

Katherine hummed, her hand resting over her stomach as she watched Henrik stomping away, leading the rest of his classmates in a march. Caroline glanced sideways at her, smiling a little.

"You might be surprised by what comes naturally," she told her.

Her gaze raised to hers cautiously, but Katherine smiled, almost appreciatively. Past her she saw Elijah standing in the back doorway of the mansion, watching her thoughtfully.

"I think I'm being summoned."

Caroline turned her head to see and gave Kathrine a playful smile. "Play nice."

She grinned full-fledged and dangerous. "I never do."

Caroline laughed as she watched her practically stalk to her future husband, shaking her head before reverting her attention back to her own significant other. Somehow the kids had tackled him on the ground and all she could see were his curls and his arms flailing.

* * *

Soon enough it was time for cake and everyone was gathered around. Henrik sat proudly in his throne, bearing his crown, the rest of the family spread around him and the cake perched on a small table in front of him as all of the guests sang.

"Happy birthday dear Henrik, happy birthday to you!"

"Make a wish!" Rebekah encouraged him, hurrying around to the front of the cake so she could get a perfect picture.

"Wait!" Henrik jumped out of his seat and held his arms out to stop them. He pulled Klaus forward and then Caroline, holding both of their hands as he looked up smiling. "Together."

They shared a glance and Klaus nodded to lean in with him. "On three."

Caroline leaned in too. "Ready?"

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

And in three huffs the candles blew out, perfectly in sync with the camera flash.

"Let the wild rumpus start!" Henrik shouted victoriously then grabbed a fistful of cake and stuffed it in his mouth.

Laughter and cheering rang out into the evening, and all around were five astonished Mikaelsons and a hysterical kindergarten teacher.

* * *

 **Henrik's Room 8:43 p.m.**

By seven, the party had come to a close and the cleaning crew began their descent. The sugar rush sent Henrik running around the house and tearing through gifts until he came crashing down hard well after his bed time. Klaus carried his passed out brother in his arms up to his bedroom, Caroline following to help tuck him in.

"I don't think I've ever seen him so animated," he commented, pulling the covers over his baby brother.

"I know, right? The cake thing was totally badass."

"And unlike him."

"I think it's more like him than you realize." His brows twitched in confusion and she looked down at Henrik. "He's a kid, acting the way a kid should. With all the drama surrounding your family, I think it's easy to forget that."

"You're right." He looked back at the sleeping child in question. "Not to mention he's brilliant beyond his years. It's hard to treat him like a child."

He turned out the light and ushered her out before pulling the door closed. They began the descent back down the hall.

"You know," she started, "he wasn't the only one who looked like they were having a good time today." He smirked to himself. "It was a nice change. To see you all happy and behaving like a family."

"I think even Kol enjoyed himself. Perhaps a little too much."

She shot him a wry grin. "Kol is a hormonal teenager. He can't help it."

He stopped and pulled her close to him, smiling mischievously. "So what's my excuse?"

She pressed her hands against his chest with a hum. "You're weak for blondes?"

"Singular," he corrected, reinforcing the point with a loving kiss.

She locked her arms around his neck and let her body lean into his as she kissed him back with affection.

"Verrrry nice," Kol's voice crooned, ushering him into the hall. He smirked cheekily as he approached. "Good show. Solid ten out of ten."

Caroline's face reddened and Klaus held her protectively with a frown. "Shouldn't you be out terrorizing the town by now?"

"But terrorizing you is so much more fun."

"To your room, Kol," he commanded with a small shove.

Kol stumbled dramatically with a scoff. "Scandal in our own house!" He spared one last wink at Caroline before disappearing around the corner.

Klaus hung his head with a defeated sigh and Caroline's head went to his shoulder.

"Maybe we should take this somewhere more private," she suggested, looking up questioningly.

His lips twisted into a dangerous grin and he suddenly lifted her up. She shrieked once her feet left the ground, giggling as he carried her down the hall. His used his foot to push his door open and set her down once they were inside. It took all of two seconds for her to back him up against the door, effectively closing it, locking him in a passionate kiss. His hands found her waist and then swiftly, but softly, started inching her shirt upwards, his fingers touching the skin of her stomach. She drew back and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it carelessly aside with a grin.

"Someone's eager."

She locked her fingers behind his neck and let out a breathless laugh, looking down with a shy pause. "You know, watching you with him today…" She shrugged and looked up with a flirtatious smile. "I felt like I was falling for you all over again."

He smiled smugly. "So this is your way of showing that?"

"You've got a better idea?"

He grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, pelvis to pelvis. "A few."

With that he pulled a switch, turning them so she was the one against the door, and raised her arms above her head. He warned her with her eyes and she kept them in place as his fingertips slid down her skin tantalizingly slow, a sharp contrast to his hungry kisses that dragged down her neck and into her cleavage. His hands cupped the padded mounds with a squeeze as he rose to heatedly kiss her lips again, his hips thrusting into hers. She moaned into his mouth as the wet tingling between her legs grew and she dug her nails into her palms, making fists, fighting not to lower her arms so she could touch him.

He quickly unfastened her jeans and tugged them down off her hips. She kicked them the rest of the way off as he hurried to undo his own jeans. She pulled his shirt over his head and pulled him back to her, her hands over his shoulders, exploring all the new plethora of skin. He held her hips and kissed her fervently, his tongue running along hers as their lips caressed. Her panties went down her legs and suddenly he'd lifted her, and her legs instinctively tightened around him. He was throbbing against his boxer-briefs but he used his fingers as a preemptive, her pleading whimpers like music to his ears.

"Klaus..." Her voice was breathless, his name only air on her lips.

He freed himself at last and guided himself into her, thrusting one hard time to draw that initial cry of relief and then it was love-making in its rawest form. It started against the door, escalated to the bed, and eventually wound up inexplicably on the floor. Time and space had been ignored, lost in the midst of ecstasy. His back was riddled with deep scratches, just shy of being bled. Her hair was a nest of strands and sweat, and their bodies were melded in a mess of sheen, but they lay together at the foot of the bed, in a mound of sheets, on the floor, basking in nothing else but each other.

"Do you think Kol heard us?" she asked, tracing shapes around the tattooed birds flying across his left shoulder.

He hummed lazily. "I think the whole house heard us, love."

She sighed and nestled against his chest. "Oops."

They were quiet for a while. He was absently stroking her back and every so often he would feel her shiver under his touch. It wasn't temperate, rather a bodily reflex, like a tickle. He'd been resting there peacefully, unable to open his eyes but not able to sleep either. He finally peeked one eye open to look down at her.

"Caroline?" he whispered.

She inhaled deeply, mumbling, "Hmmwhat?"

He swallowed, hard. "I think it's very possible that I'm in love with you."

Her eyes opened slowly and she began to smile. She lifted herself halfway and he looked down at her, nervous as all hell. "I love you too," she said softly, leaning up to kiss him. Her fingers played amongst his curls and he slid his hand against her cheek, kissing her sweetly.

A knock on the door jarred them out of their bliss.

"Niklaus?"

It was Elijah's voice. Klaus and Caroline exchanged a glance and she shrugged in response to the question in his eyes. He begrudgingly got up and searched for his boxer-briefs before padding to the door. Caroline pulled all the sheets around herself in a little burrow so she was covered. The door opened and Elijah's demeanor went from stoic to abashed. His eyes went to his brother's lack of clothing, to Caroline's deer-in-headlights, back to Klaus.

"My apologies." He ducked his head. "I didn't realize you were indisposed."

"Yes, well, it's a good thing you knocked then."

Regaining his composure, Elijah looked up now weary with impatience. "When you're decent, Finn and I will be down in the study."

"Good for you and Finn." He began to shut the door but Elijah's hand caught it.

"Niklaus. I wouldn't be playing messenger boy if it weren't an urgent matter."

He sighed exasperatedly. "Fine. We'll be down shortly." He shut the door before Elijah could protest further. He sat on his bed running a hand through his hair. "Leave it to my brothers, Doom and Gloom, to ruin a perfectly good night."

Caroline stood up, still clutching the sheets, and went over to sit with him. "It still is a good night. And it was a great day. Whatever is going on downstairs doesn't change that."

He smiled grimly and cupped her chin then his eyes went wicked. "This isn't over." She laughed, shaking her head as he began to redress. "You may want to put on something more than a bedsheet, love."

"You think? I thought I'd just go like this."

He walked back and leaned in, one palm on either side of her on the bed. "As much as I'd enjoy seeing you like this, I'd rather I was the only one."

With a playful huff, she raised her hands in surrender and the sheets dropped to her waist. Klaus let out a little growl and nipped at her neck teasingly before relenting so she could get dressed. In a few minutes, they were hand in hand walking into the study. As promised, Elijah and Finn were waiting.

"Forgive me, Caroline, but this is a family matter," Finn started.

She blinked wide eyes, about to step back when Klaus clutched her hand tighter. "She's more than welcome," he declared.

"Sharing our business is not for you alone to decide," he objected.

"Caroline has been an integral part of Henrik's life and has already borne witness to some of our ordeals," Elijah argued. "Instead of wasting our time arguing, why don't you tell us why you called this meeting?"

Reluctantly, Finn retreated to the desk at the back of the room. He thumbed through a short stack of papers and pulled an envelope out, hesitating with it in his hands before turning back to them.

Klaus swallowed. The frown on his brother's face was telling and it told him something dreadful was coming. Finn handed him the envelope and Klaus' heart beat faster. He withdrew his hand from Caroline's to open it and read the letter. Elijah and Caroline watched his eyes race through each line, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. His hands shook as he read it, the paper starting to crumple between his fingers.

"What is it?" Elijah finally inquired.

"It's a summons," Finn told him.

Klaus looked up, fire in his eyes. "She wants to go to trial."


End file.
